Los Angeles @ Los Angeles preview
Angel Stadium
Last Meeting ( Jun 23, 2012 ) LA Dodgers 3, LA Angels 1
The Los Angeles Dodgers look to earn a split of the six-game season series when they take on the Los Angeles Angels in the rubber game of their three-game set. The Angels took two of three at Dodger Stadium last week and won Friday's opener of this installment of the Freeway Series before dropping a 3-1 decision on Saturday. With the victory, the Dodgers halted their four-game losing streak. Now they hope to end their string of five consecutive series losses to the Angels.
The Dodgers have not won a set in the Freeway Series since 2009 and have captured only five of the last 17 games between the crosstown rivals. The Angels had their three-game overall winning streak snapped Saturday as their defense faltered in the first inning. Throwing errors by first baseman Albert Pujols and third baseman Maicer Izturis allowed the Dodgers to take a 2-0 lead they never relinquished. The Angels had chances against Chris Capuano but went 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position.
TV: 3:35 p.m. ET, FSN West (Angels)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers RH Aaron Harang (5-4, 3.76 ERA) vs. Angels RH Garrett Richards (2-0, 0.86 ERA)
Harang enters with a streak of five consecutive starts in which he has allowed three runs or less. He fell to 2-2 during that span as he suffered a loss at Oakland on Tuesday, when he yielded three runs and three hits but walked eight in just 3 2/3 innings. Harang, who has surrendered more than three runs just once in his last nine outings, settled for a no-decision against the Angels at home on June 12 despite allowing only two unearned runs over seven frames.
Richards will be making his fourth start of the season and second against the Dodgers. The 24-year-old allowed two runs - one earned - over five innings of a no-decision at Dodger Stadium on June 11. Richards, who scattered four hits over eight scoreless frames in a win against Arizona last Sunday, has yielded only two earned runs in 20 innings over his three starts.
WALK-OFFS
1. Angels SS Erick Aybar is hitting .418 (28-for-67) with 10 extra-base hits and nine RBIs in interleague play.
2. Capuano has allowed a total of four runs in 20 innings over his last three starts.
3. Dodgers RF Andre Ethier has gone 263 straight games without an error, the second-longest active streak in the major leagues behind Seattle OF Franklin Gutierrez (287).