Athletics at Angels
Both Oakland and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim will be looking to
rebound from difficult weekends when they meet for the first time this
season Monday in Southern California. The Athletics lost two of three at
Kansas City following a 4-2 loss Sunday in which they gave up three
runs in the bottom of the eighth.
That ended a tense series with the Royals that saw multiple hit batters and ejections following a hard slide by Oakland third baseman Brett Lawrie in the series opener. The Angels also dropped two of three in Houston, capped by consecutive losses in which they managed a total of three runs. Reigning American League MVP Mike Trout was 0-for-8 with three strikeouts in the two setbacks but hopes to get going again versus Oakland, against whom he has five homers and 13 RBIs over his last 16 games. Los Angeles has won seven of the last eight meetings at home, including a four-game sweep - its first over Oakland since 1997 - last August.
TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, CSN California (Oakland), FSN West (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Kendall Graveman (1-1, 7.27 ERA) vs. Angels RH Matt Shoemaker (2-0, 4.38)
Control has been a problem early on for Graveman, who has walked five batters and hit three others in 8 2/3 innings so far. He managed to work around those issues in his previous start at Houston to toss 5 1/3 scoreless innings and pick up his first career victory. Lefties are hitting .417 with a 1.240 OPS against Graveman in his career, including the only two home runs he has allowed.
The Angels have won 10 straight starts made by Shoemaker, who has gone 9-0 with a 1.92 ERA in that span. He allowed three runs in 6 1/3 innings to defeat Texas last Monday and has 12 strikeouts against just one walk through his first two starts. The 28-year-old fanned seven in seven scoreless frames in his only prior start against Oakland on Aug. 31, 2014.
WALK-OFFS
1. Oakland RF Josh Reddick has four multi-hit games in seven games overall since coming off the disabled list April 12.
2. After opening the season 0-for-13 in four games, Angels DH C.J. Cron is 4-for-15 with a homer and a double.
3. Athletics CF Craig Gentry is 0-for-17 with six strikeouts on the year.