SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. _ Mike Trout didn't have the results that fans wanted Wednesday night, but that wasn't the most important thing for him.
Playing for the Angels' high Class-A affiliate, the Inland Empire 66ers as part of a rehabilitation assignment, Trout was 0 for 3.
Trout batted third and served as the designated hitter. He grounded out weakly to second in his first at-bat on a 3-and-1 pitch. On the seventh pitch of his second at-bat, he struck out swinging. In his third at-bat, he hit a routine fly ball to center field on a 1-and-1 pitch.
It was Trout's first game action since tearing a ligament in his left thumb sliding into second base May 28 in Miami.
"I feel great," he said.
Before the game, it was announced that Trout would get "two or three at-bats." The good news for Angels fans is that he felt good enough for a third.
"It really wasn't bothering me, so I took another one," Trout said. "I hadn't seen live pitching in a month, so it was about getting my timing back. My third at-bat, I wasn't thinking about anything other than getting a hit.
"My first at-bat, it was definitely on my mind. The second at-bat I felt more comfortable and the third at-bat I didn't think about it at all."
Trout is scheduled to return to play in the outfield at San Manuel Stadium on Thursday.
"I'll play (Thursday). Get a couple more at-bats, maybe play the field," he said. "See how it goes."
Although he said it's important to play in the field, hitting is the more important aspect of his rehab.
"Obviously you want to get on the field. But (you want to have) the mindset of swinging pain-free," he said.
A crowd of 3,618 was in attendance to watch Trout, about three times what would have been otherwise expected.
"They (fans) were great, very supportive of me and the 66ers," Trout said.
It was Trout's first game in the California League since he was on his way up, playing for the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (then the Angels affiliate) in 2010. He batted .306 with four home runs in 50 games in the Cal League, but he played only three games at San Manuel Stadium during that 2010 season.
"We were in Rancho, so it was a little different," Trout said. "But I'm here and I see guys who were trying to get to where I'm at."
