Los Angeles @ Oakland preview
Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
Last Meeting ( Jun 7, 2010 ) LA Angels 4, Oakland 2
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are back in their customary perch atop the AL West.
It took a lot longer than expected but the Angels finally moved into the leadership spot when they beat the Oakland Athletics on Monday for their sixth consecutive victory.
The Angels will look to continue their good fortune when the two teams meet again Tuesday in Oakland.
Coupled with the Texas Rangers losing to the Seattle Mariners on Monday, the Angels moved into first place by winning for the eighth time in nine games. The streak, ironically, coincides with losing power-hitting first baseman Kendry Morales to a broken leg during a victory celebration.
Los Angeles has scored 62 runs since losing Morales, an average of 6.9 per game.
The Angels needed just four runs to beat Oakland in the series opener with Scott Kazmir pitching so well, but they could be in line for a strong offensive game Tuesday.
Oakland will send Vin Mazzaro to the mound. He has a 6.08 ERA and opponents are hitting .364 against Mazzaro, who has allowed 20 hits and nine walks in just 13 1/3 innings.
Mazzaro (1-0) lasted just 3 1/3 innings in his last outing when he was constantly in trouble against the Boston Red Sox. However, Boston only scored three runs off him despite accumulating nine hits.
He has made two career starts against the Angels, giving up 17 hits in eight innings to go with a 7.88 ERA.
Mazzaro will be in Oakland’s starting rotation as long as left-hander Brett Anderson (elbow) is on the disabled list and perhaps even longer now that reliable Justin Duchscherer has been lost for the season after hip surgery.
Jered Weaver (5-2) will be on the mound for the Angels and he hasn’t lost since May 12.
Weaver hasn’t allowed an earned run in 14 innings over his last two starts to lower his ERA to 2.74. He pitched four-hit ball and struck out nine over seven innings while defeating the Kansas City Royals in his last start.
Weaver has 83 strikeouts in 75 2/3 innings while walking just 21.
Overall, he’s made 12 career starts against the Athletics, going 3-3 with a 2.61 ERA.
Tuesday’s game will be the Angels’ ninth of a season-long 14-game road trip. They are 7-1 on the trek.
Visits to the Oakland Coliseum also haven’t been a problem as the Angels have won nine of their 11 in Oakland.
Los Angeles second baseman Howie Kendrick had an RBI during Monday’s win. It was his fifth straight game with at least one RBI and 11 of the last 13.
Kendrick has 17 RBIs since May 25 and has 37 on the season. He has five multiple-hit games during that span.
Oakland right fielder Ryan Sweeney went 3-for-4 on Monday and has five hits over the last two games to raise his average to .317. But Sweeney is just a .182 (2-for-11) lifetime hitter against Weaver.