Los Angeles @ Texas preview
Choctaw Stadium
Last Meeting ( Sep 20, 2012 ) Texas 3, LA Angels 1
With their season on the line, the Los Angeles Angels must cherish each remaining start from ace Jered Weaver. The right-hander will try to help the Angels stay in the thick of the American League wild-card race when they open a three-game road series against the Texas Rangers. The Angels are all but out of the AL West race - their next loss or the Rangers' next win will eliminate them - but they're just two games behind Oakland for the second wild card. The Rangers are on steadier ground with a magic number of three to clinch the division for the third straight year.
Weaver has a chance to become the first 20-game winner in the American League as he looks for his fourth straight win against Texas. Rangers right-hander Ryan Dempster hopes to change his luck as he faces the Angels for the third time since Texas acquired him from the Chicago Cubs. He was shelled for eight runs in 4 2/3 innings in his Rangers debut and gave up five runs in just 3 1/3 innings on Sept. 18 in Los Angeles.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, Fox Sports West, TXA-21
PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels RH Jered Weaver (19-4, 2.74 ERA) vs. Rangers RH Ryan Dempster (7-2, 4.48)
Weaver has won his last three starts to keep himself in the Cy Young Award discussion. He held the Chicago White Sox to one run over 6 1/3 innings in his last outing, setting a career high for wins. After losing his first start against the Rangers this year, Weaver has won the last three meetings to improve to 12-7 with a 3.65 ERA in 29 starts against Texas.
Dempster has been boom-or-bust since coming over from the Cubs, allowing five or more earned runs in three starts and two or fewer in his other seven outings. Dempster has won six of his last seven starts, and he struck out eight and allowed two runs over 6 2/3 innings in his last time out at Seattle.
WALK-OFFS
1. Angels 1B/DH Albert Pujols has been a thorn in Dempster's side dating back to their days as rivals in the National League. Pujols is 20-for-57 (.351) with seven homers against Dempster.
2. Rangers SS Elvis Andrus is 22-for-57 (.386) with two homers against Weaver. Mitch Moreland (9-for-26, 2 HRs) and Mike Napoli (8-for-22, 2 HRs) also have had success against the hurler.
3. The teams have split the first 16 meetings this season. The Rangers have won the season series each of the past three years.