The Oakland Athletics have carried over last season’s home-run stroke into 2013. Buoyed by three more homers in Tuesday's victory over the Los Angeles Angels, they'll try to add to their total Wednesday as they continue their series in Anaheim. Oakland finished seventh in the majors with 195 homers last year – its first top 10 finish since 2002. The Athletics are tied with two teams for the major-league lead at 15 after Coco Crisp, John Jaso and Brandon Moss each hit one against the Angels.
Much was expected of Los Angeles after its signing of Josh Hamilton this off-season, but the Angels have mostly struggled offensively en route to a 2-5 start. Although the Angels’ five runs represented a season high for the team, two of them were unearned. Hamilton turned in his fifth 0-for-4 performance of the season Tuesday, one game after going 3-for-5 against the Texas Rangers.
TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, Comcast SportsNet California (Oakland), Fox Sports West (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics LH Tommy Milone (1-0, 2.57 ERA) vs. Angels RH Joe Blanton (0-1, 7.20)
After tying for the team lead with 13 wins in 2012, Milone opened this season with a 6-2 victory over Seattle on April 3. The left-hander yielded two homers in the first inning but settled down to allow only two singles and a walk over his final six frames. Milone is 2-1 with 4.80 ERA in three starts against the Angels, but has allowed hitters to bat .305 against him in 19 career starts away from home.
Blanton, who spent his first four-plus seasons in Oakland, will make his first career start against the Athletics after pitching in the National League since the 2008 trade that sent him to Philadelphia. The Nashville, Tenn., native was roughed up for five runs – including three homers – and seven hits in Thursday’s 5-4 loss against Cincinnati. The six Oakland players who have faced Blanton are a combined 5-for-36, with Crisp going 2-for-15.
WALK-OFFS
1. Fourteen of the Athletics’ 15 home runs have come during their six-game winning streak.
2. The Angels went 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position Tuesday and left 13 runners on base.
3. Crisp has homered in a career-high four consecutive games.
PREDICTION: Angels 6, Athletics 5