Kendrick hopes to avoid DL after hyperextending knee

ANAHEIM -- Howie Kendrick's hyperextended left knee was "really sore" late Monday night, but the Angels' second baseman was able to put some weight on it while getting around on crutches and remained hopeful of avoiding a trip to the disabled list.

"Hopefully it'll only be a couple days," said Kendrick, who will find out for sure when he undergoes an MRI on Tuesday.

"We just hope everything's stable in there," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said after his team's 5-2 loss to the Rangers. "Maybe he'll just be day to day."

The injury looked a lot worse initially.

With runners on second and third and two outs in a 1-1 game in the top of the fifth, Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus lifted a high fly ball to shallow right field that Collin Cowgill and Kendrick both went after. Kendrick briefly had it in his glove, but lost it after his left knee collided with Cowgill's right arm and he remained on the ground in agonizing pain.

"We were running right after each other," Cowgill said. "I know as an outfielder, we're taught to go low and [infielders] stay high. It just so happens that when I was reaching, he was stepping. And his knee hit my elbow. It's one of those things where it's everybody's ball. It's really unfortunate."

"Nobody's at fault here," Kendrick said. "It's just baseball. Two guys playing hard. Things like that are going to happen."

Kendrick was helped off the field by Angels trainers, getting a standing ovation from the 34,040 in attendance as he made his way to the dugout, and was promptly replaced by infielder Tommy Field. It's the first time he's ever suffered a knee injury, and if he lands on the DL, it'd be his first trip there since May 2011.

Even if Kendrick doesn't land on the DL, though, Scioscia expects him to "be down for a number of days." That means the Angels will likely have to make a roster move prior to Tuesday's game, sending down a pitcher -- or placing Kendrick on the DL -- to bring in another infielder to give Scioscia three reserves.

A likely callup would be Grant Green, who was acquired from the A's in exchange for third baseman Alberto Callaspo and has played both second and third base at Triple-A Salt Lake, batting .333 in six games.

The 30-year-old Kendrick is having arguably his best season, with a .301/.341/.437 slash line, 11 homers and 47 RBIs in 108 games.

"We'll get information tomorrow and see how long he's going to be," Scioscia said of Kendrick. "He's sore tonight."