Pinder hits wall; lineup could take another hit

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A’s utility man Chad Pinder exited Sunday’s game with a left knee sprain after colliding with the wall making a catch in right field and will have an MRI exam Monday, manager Bob Melvin said.

Pinder leaped to catch Jose Altuve’s drive to open the game, hit the wall with his right shoulder and landed hard. He appeared in obvious discomfort, but no trainer left the dugout to check him and Pinder stayed in the game after a slight delay.

Stephen Piscotty pinchhit for Pinder in the bottom of the first, striking out against Houston’s José Urquidy with the bases loaded and one out.

Any absence of Pinder would hurt a scuffling A’s lineup. Pinder had two hits on Opening Night and hit a pinchhit home run Friday. He also made two highlightreel catches in right field in the opener. Swept by the Astros in four games to open the season, the A’s were held to

two or fewer runs three times and outhit 4721 in the series.

The A’s outfield was already thin Sunday with center fielder Ramón Laureano out of the lineup due to left wrist discomfort. Laureano jammed the wrist sliding headfirst into first base Friday night. Melvin said Sunday that Laureano is better and could join the lineup Monday.

Montas ready: Righthander Frankie Montas, who left his final spring training start with a torn cuticle on his pitching hand, said he doesn’t expect it to affect his first regularseason outing Monday against the Dodgers.

Montas exited the third inning of his last Cactus League game with a cuticle tear on the middle finger of his right hand. He pitched a simulated game Wednesday with Oakland with no setbacks. Montas said the finger bothered him most throwing his slider but in the simulated game he was “able to throw my slider how I wanted and it was fine; I didn’t feel anything at all.”

Melvin said Montas’ velocity and splitter were good in his simulated outing and “hitters were raving about him.” Montas said he threw about 75 pitches Wednesday and should be prepared for about 90 against the Dodgers. He described the cuticle tear as a fluke thing.

“It’s the first time I’ve dealt with this,” Montas said. “I’m not the type of guy to get blisters or anything like that. I cut my nails too short and then it’s just the corner of my nail just got stuck on my finger.”

Briefly: Catcher Sean Murphy (right wrist contusion) was out of the lineup Sunday . ... Righthander Mike Fiers (lumbar strain) is scheduled to pitch three innings Monday in the first scrimmage between the A’s and Giants alternate site groups.