Angels at Rays
A Tampa Bay pitching staff that ranks near the bottom of the American League in several categories got a big lift in Tuesday’s series opener when David Price pitched a five-hit shutout to lead the Rays to a 5-0 win. Los Angeles has fallen into the AL West cellar, already seven and a half games back of first-place Texas. The Rays, meanwhile, are keeping pace in a crowded AL East, moving into a four-way tie for first place with Tuesday's win.
The Angels were expected by many to challenge Texas for the division title, and perhaps the American League pennant, after signing three-time National League MVP Albert Pujols during the offseason, but the team has struggled to get much from the back half of its pitching rotation behind Jered Weaver and Wednesday’s starter, newly acquired C.J. Wilson. Tampa Bay, which has won its last four games against Los Angeles, is 6-1 at home despite lackluster attendance; a season-low 14,933 fans were on hand for the series opener.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ESPN2 (national), SUN Sports (Tampa Bay), ESPN3.com (web)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels LH C.J. Wilson (2-1, ERA 2.37) vs. Rays RH Jeremy Hellickson (2-0, ERA 3.26)
Wilson has owned the Rays in the regular season, going 4-0 with a 2.25 ERA in 17 lifetime appearances (four starts). He threw a complete-game shutout in Tampa last Sept. 6, but he was a mess against the Rays in last year’s playoffs, giving up eight runs (six earned) and three homers for Texas in five innings of a 9-0 AL Division Series loss.
Hellickson appears set to follow up a Rookie of the Year campaign in fine fashion, nearly finishing off a shutout of the Yankees in his 2012 debut (8 2/3 IP, 3 H, 0 R) and recovering from a mediocre outing in Boston with a win at Toronto in his last start Apr. 19 (5 2/3 IP, 6 H, 2 ER). He lost his lone career start against the Angels, giving up three runs in 5 2/3 innings — but striking out 10 — last April.
WALK-OFFS:
1. Tampa Bay pitchers have not allowed a home run in their last 52 innings of work.
2. Wilson has fared well in the past against some of Tampa’s best hitters — OF Desmond Jennings (0-for-7), 3B Evan Longoria (2-for-14, 5 K) and OF Ben Zobrist (3-for-15, 6 K).
3. Angels OF Vernon Wells has struck out in each of his three at-bats against Hellickson, while OF Torii Hunter is 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.