Detroit @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 5, 2011 ) Detroit 0, LA Angels 1

THE STORY: Stellar pitching has helped the Los Angeles Angels move into a tie atop the American League West. Rookie Tyler Chatwood will try to keep the momentum going Wednesday when he takes the mound looking to pitch the Angels to a season-high fourth straight win and a sweep of the visiting Detroit Tigers. Dan Haren tossed a two-hitter, outdueling Justin Verlander in a 1-0 win on Tuesday. Los Angeles improved to 7-1 on a season long 13-game homestand. The Tigers, meanwhile, have lost six of eight.

TV: 3:35 pm. ET, Fox Sports West, Fox Sports Detroit

PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels RH Tyler Chatwood (5-5, 3.83 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Brad Penny (5-6, 4.43).

Chatwood had posted a 0.64 ERA while winning his previous two starts before allowing four runs and season-high 12 hits in five innings of a 5-0 loss to the Dodgers on Thursday. He is 0-3 with a 7.47 ERA over his last three home starts. This will be Chatwood's first start vs. Detroit.

Penny is 0-2 with a 3.60 ERA in his last five starts. The righthander allowed one run and seven hits in seven innings, but didn’t receive a decision in a 4-3 loss to San Francisco on Thursday. He is seeking his first win since beating the Chicago White Sox on June 5. Penny is 2-3 with a 5.48 ERA in eight starts vs. the Angels.

ABOUT THE ANGELS (46-41): Los Angeles has won 15 of 20, rebounding from a sluggish start that left the Angels a season-high five games under .500 (31-36) on June 12. A win on Wednesday would push them a season-high six games over the break-even mark. Pitching has been the biggest key. The Angels have allowed just three runs over the last four games, lowering their team ERA to 2.52 over the last 20 contests. Offensively, Vernon Wells has come to life after a poor start. He has hit eight home runs in the last 20 games, tying him with the Cubs’ Carlos Pena for the most homers in baseball during that stretch. Howie Kendrick extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a second-inning single off Verlander Tuesday.

ABOUT THE TIGERS (45-42): The Tigers were shutout for just the fourth time this season. Detroit ranks eighth in baseball in offense (391 runs), but has scored just 13 runs in the last five games. The Tigers wasted another outstanding effort from Verlander. His unbelievable first half has stood out even more with the rest of the Tigers’ pitching staff struggling. Detroit has the fifth-worst team in ERA (4.36) in baseball. The Tigers fired pitching coach Rick Knapp after a terrible stretch last week in which they allowed 45 runs in three blowout losses. Detroit could be without left fielder Brennan Boesch Wednesday. He left Tuesday’s game in the third inning after fouling a ball of his thigh.

FINAL PITCH: “It's probably better than hitting zero home runs for 10 different teams.” - DH Russell Branyan, who hit his first home run for the Angels on Sunday. He has hit at least one home run for 10 different teams. Matt Stairs holds the major league record (11 different teams).