Baltimore @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 24, 2011 ) LA Angels 9, Baltimore 3

THE STORY: Mark Trumbo might have saved the Los Angeles Angels’ season and certainly has provided some momentum for the struggling team as it enters Friday’s series-opener against the Baltimore Orioles. The Angels appeared on their way to their sixth straight loss on Thursday before Trumbo slammed a game-winning two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to give the Angels a 2-1 victory over the Texas Rangers. Instead of falling eight games behind Texas in the American League West, the Angels enter the weekend six games out. The homer was the 23rd for Trumbo, who has seemingly passed slumping Seattle pitcher Michael Pineda as the favorite for AL Rookie of the Year honors.

TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, MASN2 (Baltimore), FSW (Los Angeles).

PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles LH Jo-Jo Reyes (6-9, 5.30) vs. Angels RH Dan Haren (12-6, 2.95)

Reyes pitched superbly while beating Detroit in his last outing when he allowed one run and four hits in six innings. He has a 1-1 record in three appearances (two starts) since joining the Orioles from Toronto. Reyes lost to the Angels in April while pitching for the Blue Jays despite giving up just one earned run in seven innings. He is 1-1 with a 1.80 ERA in two career starts against Los Angeles.

Haren is 2-0 with a 2.35 ERA over this last five starts and has given up just one run in three of the outings. He received a no-decision in his last start when he gave up three runs and five hits in seven innings against Toronto. Haren has issued just 26 walks in 183 1/3 innings and has walked two or few batters in 16 consecutive starts. He hasn’t faced the Orioles this season and is 4-2 with a 3.60 ERA in eight career starts against Baltimore. Vladimir Guerrero is batting .353 with three homers in 34 career at-bats against Haren.

ABOUT THE ANGELS (66-59): The ninth-inning rally to beat Texas gave Los Angeles just its second win in nine games. Trumbo and Peter Bourjos each had two hits. Torii Hunter went 1-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to 16 games. Hunter’s career-long streak was 23 games for the Minnesota Twins in 2007. He is batting .417 during his hitting streak. Vernon Wells struck out as a pinch hitter Thursday and is batting just .136 in 59 August at-bats. Starter Tyler Chatwood was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake City on Thursday after his recent struggles. Catcher Hank Conger was recalled.

ABOUT THE ORIOLES (47-74): This is the fourth contest of a 10-game road trip for Baltimore. The Orioles are just 5-20 in their last 25 road contests. They won one of three games in Oakland to start the trip. Shortstop J.J. Hardy is having a tough time after winning AL Player of the Week honors for last week’s play. Hardy is just 2-for-22 over his last five games with both hits coming Wednesday against Oakland. Guerrero is batting .284 with five homers and 17 RBIs in 81 career at-bats against the Angels, the team he played for from 2004-09. Right-hander Jeremy Guthrie has soreness in his pitching shoulder and won’t pitch in the series. His next start will be Tuesday at the earliest.

FINAL PITCH: “Hopefully this is going to propel a nice little run for us,” Trumbo told reporters after Thursday’s game-winning homer. “We’ve been scuffling and a lot of people are frustrated, myself included.”