Angels closer Joe Smith sidelined by tightness in right side

Joe Smith did throw up in the bullpen Monday night, but that wasn’t the reason the Angels closer did not pitch the ninth inning of a 4-1 victory over the New York Yankees.

Smith said he induced the vomiting after an energy bar he ate did not sit well in his stomach. When he resumed warming up in the bottom of the eighth, he felt tightness in his lower right side, a condition that probably will prevent the right-hander from pitching in Tuesday night’s game.

“It’s just sore—I didn’t feel anything pop or tear,” said Smith, who has converted all three of his save opportunities since replacing Ernesto Frieri as closer in late April. “I’ll probably be out for tonight, but it feels a lot better today than it did last night. We’re going to take it day by day.”

Frieri, who was warming up in the top of the eighth, had plenty of time to get ready for a ninth inning in which he struck out two of three batters, both on 95-mph fastballs, to notch his third save of the season.

“It stunk to not be able to pitch,” Smith said, “but it was good to see Ernie go out there and do what he did.”