Elbow

SIDNEY PONSON walked off the field in the second inning yesterday to a chorus of boos, and who could blame the crowd of 41,655 for being disgusted after 1 1/3 innings of fireworks in broad daylight? Sir Sidney surrendered six runs and any real hope of the Orioles picking up an important game on the first-place Red Sox in a performance that was ugly even by the standards of a guy who entered the game with the ninth-worst ERA (5.35) among American League starting pitchers and now has allowed the most hits (136)

SARASOTA, Fla. -- Ben McDonald has been scratched from tomorrow's scheduled start against the Braves at Atlanta-Fulton hTC County Stadium because of what he and club officials termed a mildly tender elbow."

It wasn't what Denny Neagle had hoped, but still he's there in the big show.A 1986 graduate of Arundel High in Gambrills, Neagle's first appearance in the big leagues was shortened Saturday night by Candy Maldonado of the Milwaukee Brewers.Making his major league debut for the Minnesota Twins in front ofnearly 48,000 fans at the Metrodome, Neagle took a lined shot off Maldonado's bat at the start of the fourth inning; he was hit on the elbow of his left arm -- his pitching arm. Neagle had to leave the gamewith runners on first and second and the Twins leading, 2-1. He received a standing ovation from Twins fans as he departed.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Joe Montana's stay on injured reserve could extend well beyond the four weeks the 49ers quarterback is scheduled to miss.The question of how long the healing takes comes down to what's hurt and what's not.Dr. Arthur White, who performed surgery on Montana in 1986 to remove a ruptured disk in his back and whose Daly City clinic is treating Montana's elbow, confirmed recent published reports, saying the injury is a torn ligament as well as a torn tendon. He said it will require a minimum of three months to heal completely.

Not only will right-hander Mike Mussina miss just one start because of a bone spur in his right elbow, but he also apparently will be moving up a day in the rotation. The Orioles said yesterday that Mussina will pitch Sunday in Texas, with left-hander Jimmy Key being pushed back to Monday.The changes were caused by Mussina's improved condition and Tuesday's postponement. Key would have been working on three days' rest.There was concern in the organization that Mussina might not be ready by the weekend, but manager Davey Johnson said, "Mike had a great comeback.

Orioles reliever Mark Williamson has suffered a setback in his recovery from inflammation in his throwing elbow and might not return to the team for 10 weeks.Manager Johnny Oates said before last night's game that a bone chip had been discovered in Williamson's right elbow during a doctor's examination here.Williamson said he hopes to be examined by Dr. James Andrews, a noted sports physician who practices in Birmingham, Ala., in the next few days.Williamson said Andrews would evaluate whether he would need arthroscopic surgery.

Orioles reliever Mark Williamson has suffered a setback in his recovery from inflammation in his throwing elbow and might not return to the team for 10 weeks.Manager Johnny Oates said before last night's game that a bone chip had been discovered in Williamson's right elbow during a doctor's examination here.Williamson said he hopes to be examined by Dr. James Andrews, a noted sports physician who practices in Birmingham, Ala., in the next few days.Williamson said Andrews would evaluate whether he would need arthroscopic surgery.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- While there have been private concerns in the Boston Red Sox organization about Roger Clemens having an ulnar nerve problem in his right elbow that would eventually require Tommy John surgery, the right-hander, who was scratched from Friday night's start for precautionary reasons, dispelled those concerns."

CHICAGO -- Orioles starting pitcher Adam Loewen was scheduled to return to Baltimore this weekend to have his ailing left elbow looked at by team orthopedist Dr. John Wilckens. Orioles manager Dave Trembley said he knows little about the severity of the injury or whether it's related to the stress fracture in Loewen's left elbow that required surgery last June. He also declined to name Loewen's replacement in the starting rotation. Loewen, who was 0-1 with a 7.85 ERA through four starts, complained of forearm soreness after giving up five earned runs in 2 2/3 innings against the Seattle Mariners on Thursday.

LAKELAND, Fla. -- Will Clark points to his grotesquely protruding left elbow, the one he racked up in 1986 with the San Francisco Giants, and flexes and straightens it. Most impressively, Clark doesn't wince at the move. For the first time since his rookie season, the Orioles' first baseman insists his surgically repaired elbow doesn't stab him with pain. Throwing is again a normal activity that doesn't cause him to contemplate double-clutching every time he must make a quick throw toward second base.