Minnesota @ Los Angeles preview
Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Last Meeting ( Jun 25, 2014 ) Minnesota 2, LA Angels 6
The Los Angeles Angels look to complete a pair of sweeps as they host the Minnesota Twins for the finale of their three-game series Thursday afternoon. Los Angeles opened the set with an 8-6 triumph before posting a 6-2 victory behind Garrett Richards, who allowed two runs and four hits over 7 1/3 innings. The win was the 11th in 12 home contests for the Angels, who improved to 5-0 on their six-game homestand.
Minnesota failed to reach the four-run mark for just the second time in its last six contests as its road losing streak reached seven games. Kendrys Morales has driven in three of the Twins' eight runs in the series against his former team and enters Thursday with a modest four-game hitting streak. Oswaldo Arcia hopes to have snapped out of his funk as he ended an 0-for-31 slide with a solo home run on Wednesday.
TV: 3:35 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), FSN West (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Ricky Nolasco (4-5, 5.52 ERA) vs. Angels RH Jered Weaver (7-6, 3.47)
Nolasco is unbeaten in his last five starts but winless in the last three. The 31-year-old settled for his third straight no-decision on Friday after allowing just two runs in 5 1/3 innings against the Chicago White Sox. Nolasco, who never has faced the Angels, is 2-3 with a 7.11 ERA in nine road outings this season.
Weaver has gone three straight starts without a victory, losing two in a row before settling for a no-decision against Texas on Saturday despite yielding only one run and four hits over eight innings. The 31-year-old kept the ball in the park, ending a string of seven consecutive games with at least one home run allowed. Weaver has had considerable success versus Minnesota, going 8-2 with a shutout and a 3.35 ERA in 15 career outings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Minnesota rookie SS Danny Santana is day-to-day after leaving Wednesday's game with a leg injury.
2. Angels OF Kole Calhoun has collected five RBIs and scored four runs over his last three games.
3. Arcia's hitless streak was the longest by a Twin since Greg Gagne's 0-for-32 drought in 1991. The club record of 38 straight at-bats without a hit was set in 1978 by Butch Wynegar.
PREDICTION: Angels 7, Twins 2