Los Angeles @ Baltimore preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 26, 2012 ) LA Angels 7, Baltimore 3

After starting 6-14, the Los Angeles Angels have gone 35-19 and shown no signs of slowing down as they look for a sweep of their brief two-game set with the Baltimore Orioles. Los Angeles hit a season-high four home runs in Tuesday’s 7-3 win over Baltimore, which has lost five of seven while scoring a total of 11 runs over that stretch. The Orioles have fallen four games behind the Yankees in the AL East, while the Angels are four back of Texas in the AL West.

Baltimore desperately needs an offensive boost, but right fielder Nick Markakis is still not ready to return from hamate bone surgery. Markakis, who was hitting .256 in his first 50 games, will not swing a bat until Friday and won’t return until the final series before the All-Star break at the earliest. Outfielder Endy Chavez flew to Florida on Thursday for treatment on his injured right hamstring, and there’s no timetable for his return. The Angels are fairly healthy, with starting pitcher Jerome Williams (chest) expected to begin a rehab assignment soon.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FSW (Los Angeles), MASN-HD (Baltimore)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels RH Jered Weaver (7-1, 2.40 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Jason Hammel (8-2, 2.61 ERA)

Making his first start since landing on the DL with a back injury, Weaver tossed six scoreless innings last Wednesday against the San Francisco Giants. Weaver was on a pitch limit, so he threw just 78 pitches in the win. He pitched a complete game against the Orioles on April 21, allowing three runs on five hits.

Hammel has been one of the biggest surprises in baseball this season, and he’s been particularly sharp in his last two outings, going 2-0 with just one unearned run over 17 innings. In his six home starts, Hammel is 4-0 with a 2.03 ERA.

WALK-OFFS

1. Reliever Ernesto Frieri has thrown 22 consecutive scoreless innings since being traded by the Padres to the Angels on May 3.

2. Orioles reliever Matt Lindstrom (finger) is expected to be activated from the disabled list on Wednesday.

3. The Angels are 12-1 in their last 13 away games, outscoring opponents 68-36 during that span.