Kansas City @ Los Angeles preview
Angel Stadium
Last Meeting ( Apr 8, 2012 ) Kansas City 7, LA Angels 3
After a brutal schedule to kick off the second half of the season, the Los Angeles Angels get a brief reprieve when they host the Kansas City Royals for a three-game series. The Angels took two of three from Texas over the weekend to cap a stretch of 10 consecutive games against American League division leaders. Slugger Albert Pujols has six multi-hit games in his last 10, including a homer and three RBIs in Sunday's win over the Rangers.
Rookie sensation Mike Trout enters the series with an 11-game hitting streak and leading the AL with a .357 batting average for the Angels, who lead Oakland and Baltimore by a half-game in the AL wild card race. The Royals shouldn't be too upset about hitting the road after losing two of three to the Minnesota Twins to complete a 3-7 homestand, dropping their record to a major league-worst 17-30 at home.
TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, FSKC, FSW
PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals LH Bruce Chen (7-8, 5.57 ERA) vs. Angels LH C.J. Wilson (9-6, 2.82)
Chen has endured a rocky patch in July, going 0-2 with a 10.42 ERA in four starts. He had allowed six runs in three consecutive outings before surrendering four runs in 5 1/3 innings against the Seattle Mariners last time out. The long ball has hampered Chen, who has coughed up nine homers in 19 innings in his four-start skid.
Wilson was rocked in his last start at Detroit, getting battered for a season-high seven runs in six innings. He also is winless in four starts this month, although he allowed only seven runs combined in three outings prior to the debacle against the Tigers. Wilson has a 3-0 record and 2.34 ERA in 13 appearances (three starts) against the Royals.
WALK-OFFS
1. Trout set an AL rookie record by scoring in his 14th consecutive game Sunday. That also set a franchise mark.
2. Kansas City's Billy Butler hit his 19th homer Sunday, matching his total from last year and putting him within two of his career high.
3. Angels 2B Howie Kendrick is 4-for-9 with two homers and Pujols is 3-for-10 with a pair of blasts vs. Chen.