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ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Angels ace Bartolo Colon left Game 5 of the AL Division Series against the New York Yankees on Monday night with an inflamed throwing shoulder.

Bartolo Colon

Starting Pitcher Los Angeles Angels Profile

2005 SEASON STATISTICS GM W L BB K ERA 33 21 8 43 157 3.48

The right-hander spun off the mound in case he had to cover first base when Robinson Cano hit the third pitch of the second inning just foul on the right side. Colon, who had been pitching upright and not bending, was trying to prepare himself to cover if first baseman Darin Erstad made a play.

After a mound visit from trainer Ned Bergert, manager Mike Scioscia and pitching coach Bud Black, Colon threw three more pitches before kneeling down in pain.

He was examined by team orthopedist Lewis Yocum and the team said he would be re-evaluated Tuesday.

Colon, a 21-game winner and AL Cy Young Award candidate who lost Game 1 last Tuesday 4-2, had worked out of a first-inning jam with runners on the corners with an inning-ending strikeout of Hideki Matsui.

Colon has been fighting tightness in his back since early September. He returned to California from New York on Saturday.

He threw 23 pitches and was replaced by rookie right-hander Ervin Santana, who made his first appearance since winning 7-4 at Texas on Oct. 2, the final day of the regular season.

Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press