Texas @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 21, 2011 ) Texas 0, LA Angels 1

THE STORY: Garrett Richards looks to improve on an ugly major-league debut as he leads the Los Angeles Angels into a pivotal four-game series against the visiting Texas Rangers. Richards gets a difficult assignment as he'll be opposed by righthander Alexi Ogando, who has stymied Angels hitters over his two seasons in the majors.

TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Houston (Texas), KCOP (L.A. Angels)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Alexi Ogando (11-5, 3.22 ERA) vs. Angels RH Garrett Richards (0-1, 10.80 ERA)

Some of the luster has come off of Ogando's sensational season. The 27-year-old righty had one of his worst outings of the campaign last time out, charged with six runs on eight hits over 2 2/3 innings in a 7-6 victory over Seattle. Ogando has dominated the Angels, allowing just one run in 22 career innings against them.

Richards was welcomed to the major leagues in rough fashion, getting roughed up by the New York Yankees on the way to a 9-3 loss. The 23-year-old was pounded for six runs on six hits, including a pair of homers, over five innings. Richards was much better in the Texas League, posting a 12-2 record with a 3.06 ERA in 141 innings.

ABOUT THE RANGERS (68-52): Except for a few lazy innings in Sunday's series finale, Texas played a near-perfect series on the way to a sweep of the Oakland Athletics. The unbeaten weekend improved the Rangers to 8-4 in August, allowing them to open up a bit of a lead on the rival Angels. The team's two recent bullpen acquisitions have helped to make things less dicey in the late innings. Mike Adams and Koji Uehara have a combined 2.19 ERA since coming to the Rangers in a pair of deadline-day trades. With Ogando having gone fewer than six innings in five of his last 10 starts, the Texas bullpen may find itself heavily involved in Monday's game.

ABOUT THE ANGELS (65-56): A 2-4 road swing through the American League East was not how the Angels wanted to set the stage for their home encounter with the AL West leaders. Los Angeles took two of three the last time the Rangers visited Anaheim, and owns a 5-4 edge in the season series. Keeping the Rangers from evening the matchup will depend on how well the Angels fare against Ogando. The present Los Angeles roster is hitting just .188 against him, with Erick Aybar the only player to take him deep. Howie Kendrick (1-for-10) and Torii Hunter (0-for-9, five strikeouts) have struggled the most.

FINAL PITCH: The Rangers have won just three of their last nine games in Anaheim.