Los Angeles @ Los Angeles preview
Angel Stadium
Last Meeting ( Jun 13, 2010 ) LA Angels 6, LA Dodgers 5
The numbers just don’t add up well for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and it is not only when they stray out of their comfort zone known as the NL West.
The Dodgers begin a three-game series at the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on Tuesday night and the facts show numerous things for the "visitors" to overcome.
* The Angels recently swept a three-game series at Dodgers Stadium and are 16-7 in their last 23 games against the Dodgers.
* The Dodgers are just 2-7 in interleague play this season, while the Angels are a more-than-respectable 7-5.
* The Angels are playing much better, having won six of their last nine games. The Dodgers have lost four consecutive games and seven of their last nine.
Added up, it’s a reminder that the Dodgers have been dynamite against the four NL West teams (18-5) and resembling a Scud missile against everybody else in baseball (20-26). They currently sit in third place in the division, trailing both the San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants.
Whether the Dodgers can start playing better during the series against the Angels is an uncertain proposition.
The Dodgers are still without starters Chad Billingsley (groin) and Vicente Padilla (forearm) - now, Carlos Monasterios (blister) has joined the two on the disabled list. In addition, John Ely, the scheduled Wednesday starter, has gone into a slump and allowed 15 runs in 14 2/3 innings over his last three outings.
Knuckleballer Charlie Haeger (toe) and his 8.53 ERA might be activated from the disabled list to start Thursday’s game.
That leaves left-hander Clayton Kershaw has the only reliable starting pitcher taking a turn in the series for the Dodgers. Kershaw starts Tuesday’s contest against Ervin Santana.
Kershaw is 6-1 over his last eight starts and has struck out 61 batters in that span to raise his season total to 97. Kershaw had a 4.99 ERA entering the stretch and has since lowered it to 2.96.
Kershaw (7-3) beat the Cincinnati Reds in his last outing, allowing one run in 7 1/3 innings. He is 1-0 with an 0.75 in two career starts against the Angels.
Santana has a 2-3 mark and 3.94 ERA in five career starts against the Dodgers.
After winning five consecutive starts, Santana has lost his last two outings and hit hard in both, giving up 10 earned runs and 17 hits in just 10 innings.
Overall, Santana is 6-5 with a 3.91 ERA for the Angels, who are 3 1/2 games behind the first-place Texas Rangers in the AL West.
Meanwhile, the Angels miss shortstop Erick Abyar, who hyperextended his left knee when taken out at second base by Casey McGehee of the Milwaukee Brewers on June 14.
A stellar defensive player who is batting .272 with a team-best 11 steals, Aybar has cartilage damage and the Angels remain hopeful he won’t need a stint on the disabled list. He’s expected to be examined again on Tuesday.
The Dodgers expect to get regular shortstop Rafael Furcal back by midweek. Furcal went on the bereavement list June 17 after his father died in the Dominican Republic.