Detroit @ Los Angeles preview
Angel Stadium
Last Meeting ( Sep 8, 2012 ) Detroit 1, LA Angels 6
Zack Greinke has tamed the Detroit Tigers quite a few times in his career. With one victory under his belt this season and 12 in 18 career decisions, Greinke will attempt too continue his mastery of the Tigers as the Los Angeles Angels vie for a three-game sweep on Sunday. Los Angeles has gotten the better of Detroit in the current series, winning both contests to move two games in back of Baltimore and New York for the second wild card.
Detroit has dropped four of five to fall two games behind Chicago in the American League Central and 4 1/2 out in the wild-card race. Omar Infante collected his 1,000th career hit with an RBI single in the fourth inning on Saturday, but the Tigers' offense could not get untracked. After wrapping up this series, Detroit will visit the Windy City for a key four-game set with the White Sox.
TV: 3:35 p.m. ET, FSD (Detroit), FSW (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Anibal Sanchez (7-11, 4.08 ERA) vs. Angels RH Zack Greinke (13-5, 3.72)
Sanchez yielded just two runs in six solid innings, but walked away with a no-decision in his last trip to the mound versus Cleveland on Monday. The 28-year-old Venezuelan has dropped five of his last seven decisions despite permitting just six homers in his last eight starts. Sanchez allowed one run and struck out eight, but settled for a no-decision in his lone career outing versus the Angels.
Greinke carries a three-game winning streak into Sunday's tilt. The 28-year-old has allowed just four runs in that stretch (21 2/3 innings) - including a sizzling effort in a 6-1 victory over Oakland. Greinke started the winning streak after allowing one run in 7 2/3 innings in a 2-1 triumph over Detroit on Aug. 24.
WALK-OFFS
1. Los Angeles OF Mark Trumbo, who leads the team with 30 homers, was left out of the lineup on Saturday because he needed to "exhale a little bit," according to manager Mike Scioscia.
2. Detroit OF Ryan Raburn returned to the lineup for the first time in more than a month on Saturday. Raburn had missed all of August with sprained right thumb.
3. After seeing his 14-game hitting streak come to an end on Friday, Albert Pujols collected three hits. The slugger has struggled versus Sanchez, going 2-for-12 in his career.