Morales still adjusting; Hunter nearing return

The Angels and Kendrys Morales were heading into unknown territory together this season. As much as they hoped Morales would be just as productive as he was in 2009, neither really knew how he would do after missing nearly two years while recovering from a fractured ankle that required two surgeries to repair. So far, the results have been mixed. After striking out four times in Saturday's game, Morales was 3-for-4 Sunday with a solo home run, an RBI single and a double. The two RBI came after Morales had driven in just one run in his previous 13 games, a stretch that also saw him go without an extra-base hit since May 13. "Everybody knows that I'm coming back from surgery," Morales said through an interpreter before Sunday's game. "I'm still making adjustments at the plate. I'm trying to do the best I can. ... Obviously, some days are better than others." Manager Mike Scioscia said he doesn't see any signs that Morales' long road back from the fractured ankle has diminished his potential to be a middle-of-the-order force for the Angels this season. "It's there," Scioscia said. "I don't see any regression. ... I think there's more production in Kendrys. There is. "It maybe takes him a little more prep time in the cage for him to get ready to play. There's a lot of things he's dealing with like getting used to just being a DH. But this guy can hit. He will hit. There's no doubt everything he did a couple years ago is still there in him. It's there." NOTES, QUOTES Hunter on his way back to team --OF Torii Hunter returned to California on Monday and will rejoin the Angels for their pre-game workout Monday. Hunter could be activated before the game Monday or Tuesday. He has been on the restricted list for two weeks after leaving the Angels to be with his family following the arrest of one of his sons in connection with a sexual-assault investigation at a Dallas-area high school. --RHP Ernesto Frieri stuck out one while pitching a hitless eighth inning Sunday. He now has 23 strikeouts and no hits allowed in 11 innings since being acquired by the Angels in a trade with the Padres. Frieri is the first pitcher to record 20 or more strikeouts in his first 10 innings with a team since RHP Tom Gordon struck out 20 in his first 10 innings with the Cubs in 2001 (according to Elias). --RHP Jordan Walden allowed a run in the seventh inning Sunday thanks to a walk and two wild pitches. That ended a streak of 10 scoreless innings over 11 appearances for him and was the only earned run the Angels' bullpen gave up in 25 23 innings during their 10-game road trip to San Diego, Oakland and Seattle. --LHP Scott Downs pitched a scoreless ninth inning Sunday for his team-leading fifth save of the season. Downs has not allowed a run in his 16 innings pitched this season. Only two other pitchers in the majors have appeared in at least 10 games without giving up a run (Ryan Cook of the A's and Dale Thayer of the Padres). --DH Kendrys Morales went 3-for-4, scoring or driving in three of the Angels' four runs in Sunday's win. He had an RBI single in the first inning, a solo home run in the fourth and scored in the ninth after leading off with a double. It was the 50th time in his career he has driven in two or more runs in a game, but he had just one RBI in 13 games before Sunday. BY THE NUMBERS: 2.38 -- ERA (18 earned runs in 68 innings) of Angels starting pitchers during 10-game road trip that ended Sunday. QUOTE TO NOTE: "A win's a win's a win as far as I'm concerned." -- Angels OF Mark Trumbo on the team's 9-4 revival coming against sub-.500 teams.