Tampa Bay @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 2, 2015 ) Tampa Bay 6, LA Angels 1

The Tampa Bay Rays look to win two consecutive road series for the first time since early April as they take on the Los Angeles Angels in the finale of a three-game set Wednesday. Chris Archer matched a franchise-record with 15 strikeouts as Tampa Bay evened the series with a 6-1 triumph Tuesday – its third victory in four games.

Joey Butler is 8-for-16 in the past four contests for the Rays, who took two out of three at Baltimore last weekend. Tampa Bay’s Nathan Karns takes the mound in an attempt to cool off Los Angeles slugger Albert Pujols, who has homered six times in the last six games to tie Jimmie Foxx for 17th on the all-time major league list with 534 in his career. Hector Santiago gets the start for the Angels, who are 6-3 on their 10-game homestand. Reigning American League MVP Mike Trout will try to rebound from a 0-for-4 outing with three strikeouts on Tuesday.

TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, Sun Sports (Tampa Bay), FSN West (Los Angeles)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Nathan Karns (3-2, 3.32 ERA) vs. Angels LH Hector Santiago (4-3, 2.18)

Karns has limited opponents to two or fewer runs in his last six starts, including six shutout innings of one-hit ball at Baltimore on Friday, but gained only two wins in that span. The 27-year-old Texas Tech product has allowed just 40 hits in 57 innings overall and teams are batting .195 against him. Karns, who will face the Angels for the first time, boasts a 1.02 ERA in three road starts (1-0) this season.

Santiago blanked Detroit over 7 1/3 innings Friday – the ninth time in 10 starts he has allowed three or fewer runs and the seventh outing he has surrendered one earned run or fewer. The 27-year-old New Jersey native has also been efficient while yielding 48 hits in 62 frames. Evan Longoria is 3-for-3 against Santiago, who has permitted four runs in 4 2/3 career innings of relief in two games against the Rays.

WALK-OFFS

1. Tampa Bay designated RHP Ernesto Frieri for assignment after Monday’s game and recalled OF Mikie Mahtook, who went 0-for-3 with a walk Tuesday.

2. Los Angeles SS Erick Aybar owns a 10-game hitting streak and 3B David Freese has hit safely in seven straight contests.

3. Rays INF Logan Forsythe, who belted a two-run homer Tuesday, has reached base seven times in 13 at-bats the last three games.

PREDICTION: Rays 4, Angels 3