Athletics at Angels
In between two shutouts, both started by Jered Weaver, the Los Angeles Angels have allowed 47 runs in their other eight games. Dan Haren will try to change that pattern when the Angels host the Oakland A’s in the second of a four-game series on Tuesday. Kendrys Morales broke out of a 1-for-23 slump with a homer and four RBIs in the Angels 6-0 victory on Monday. Albert Pujols is still looking for his first homer in an Angels uniform.
Oakland continues to struggle offensively, batting .198 as a team after recording six hits in the series opener. Seth Smith has the best average (.250) among players with at least 20 at bats. Yoenis Cespedes leads the A’s with three homers and seven RBIs, but has none of either in his last six games. Oakland has allowed 15 runs in three straight losses.
TV: 10:05 p.m., CSCA (Oakland), FS-West (Los Angeles).
PITCHING MATCHUP: A’s RH Tyson Ross (3-3, 2.75 in 2011) vs. Angels RH Dan Haren (0-1, 6.97).
Ross is expected to be the team’s fifth starter and he gets his first chance after spending some time at Triple-A Sacramento. Ross, who turns 25 on April 22, is 4-7 with a 4.18 ERA over the last two seasons and is 0-1 with a 2.45 ERA in four games against the Angels. In two games with Sacramento, Ross allowed 10 hits and four runs in nine innings.
After a strong preseason in which he had a 2.05 ERA, Haren was pounded in his first two starts. Haren has allowed 20 hits, including three homers, and eight runs in 10 1/3 innings. On the positive side, he does have 12 strikeouts and two walks. Haren is 2-2 with a 3.79 ERA in 40 1/3 innings against the A’s in his career.
WALK-OFFS:
1. Weaver became the eighth Angels pitcher with 1,000 strikeouts. He and his brother Jeff became the sixth set of brothers to accomplish the feat.
2. Oakland catcher Kurt Suzuki has thrown out five of 10 runners trying to steal. He threw out 38 of 98 last year.
3. Pujols’ 10-game stretch without a homer is the longest to start a season in his career.