Los Angeles @ Oakland preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 22, 2014 ) LA Angels 4, Oakland 8

The Los Angeles Angels own the best record in baseball but are still answering questions about the starting rotation in the last week of the regular season. The Angels hope to get a little length out of the starter when they visit the Oakland Athletics for the second of a three-game series on Tuesday. The Athletics knocked C.J. Wilson out in the first inning of Monday’s 8-4 victory and maintained their lead in the American League wild-card race.

Los Angeles burned through six relievers after Wilson managed only two outs Monday and are already dedicating one spot in the rotation to the relief corps, fronted by Cory Rasmus. The Angels, who sit 2 1/2 games ahead of the Baltimore Orioles in the race for homefield advantage throughout the postseason, have been answering questions about the rotation ever since ace Garrett Richards went down, and rookie surprise Matt Shoemaker is dealing with an oblique problem that is likely to keep him out the rest of the regular season. Oakland has won three of its last four and sits in the top wild-card spot, one game clear of second-place Kansas City and three games north of third-place Seattle.

TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, FSN West (Los Angeles), CSN California (Oakland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels LH Wade LeBlanc (0-1, 5.24 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Sonny Gray (13-9, 3.28)

LeBlanc earned himself another turn in the rotation by holding Seattle scoreless on three hits and no walks over 5 1/3 innings on Thursday. The veteran journeyman is enjoying a string of five straight scoreless appearances after being knocked around for a total of seven runs in 4 2/3 innings in two appearances after his recall on Aug. 25. LeBlanc faced Oakland as a member of the New York Yankees on June 4 and was reached for two runs on as many hits and a walk in one inning.

Gray is winless in his last five starts and is 1-6 over his last 10 outings since the beginning of August. The Vanderbilt product lasted five innings against Texas on Thursday and was reached for five runs – four earned – on eight hits to suffer a loss. Gray’s lone win in his last 10 starts came at home against the Angels on Aug. 22, when he scattered three runs and six hits over 8 1/3 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Angels 2B Howie Kendrick (hamstring) sat out Monday and is day-to-day.

2. Oakland 3B Josh Donaldson (97) needs three RBIs to become the first A’s player to reach 100 since Frank Thomas had 114 in 2006.

3. Los Angeles OF Josh Hamilton (ribs) has missed 17 of the last 18 games but is taking swings and could return soon.

PREDICTION: Athletics 7, Angels 6