Rangers at Angels
The Los Angeles Angels on Sunday try for a three-game sweep of the visiting Texas Rangers as the specter of the Josh Hamilton situation looms over the teams. Los Angeles recorded its first three-game winning streak of the season with a 4-1 victory Saturday and more importantly, Albert Pujols showed signs of halting an early-season funk which has seen him hit .185 and go 2-for-18 over his last five contests.
Pujols delivered the game-tying single in the Angels' three-run sixth inning and walked with the bases loaded in the seventh. C.J. Cron is 4-for-8 in the series after following Pujols with a two-run single to help Los Angeles hand Texas its third straight loss and fifth in the last six games. The Rangers (6-11) are struggling at the plate with a major league-worst .211 average - a big reason why they are expected to soon acquire Hamilton, who is recovering from a shoulder injury and had a drug and alcohol relapse during the offseason which angered Angels owner Arte Moreno. Texas' Nick Martinez and Los Angeles' Hector Santiago take the mound in a matchup of No. 5 starters who have pitched like staff aces in 2015.
TV: 3:35 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Texas), FSN West (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Nick Martinez (2-0, 0.45 ERA) vs. Angels LH Hector Santiago (2-1, 2.45)
Martinez didn't allow an earned run in his first 15 innings of 2015 before yielding one in six frames and taking a no-decision in a 7-1 victory in Arizona on Tuesday. "Solid outing for Nick,'' Texas manager Jeff Banister told reporters. "Moved the fastball around. Pitched inside. Got some early outs when he needed them." The 24-year-old Floridian is 1-2 with a 2.51 ERA in five games (four starts) against Los Angeles after allowing an unearned run in seven innings of an 8-2 victory over the Angels on April 14. He has fared well against Mike Trout and Pujols (combined 1-for-17), but has not gotten Chris Iannetta out (4-for-4, walk).
Santiago on Tuesday won his second straight start after yielding one run, three hits and three walks while striking out eight in six innings of a 14-1 victory over Oakland. "Right now I’m right where I want to be,” the 27-year-old New Jersey native told the Orange County Register. “Last year I put enough pressure on myself. Just go out and have fun. Just have a smile.'' Santiago is 4-2 with a 4.00 ERA in 11 games (eight starts) against the Rangers - including a 10-2 victory in Texas on April 15 when he allowed one run in seven innings - while having difficulty with Adrian Beltre (6-for-17, three solo home runs) and Prince Fielder (7-for-18).
WALK-OFFS
1. Angels LF Matt Joyce is batting .132 with no home runs and five RBIs in his first season with Los Angeles and is 0-for-23 in his last eight games.
2. Rangers 3B Adrian Beltre went 1-for-4 on Saturday and is 5-for-17 in his last five games, raising his average to .179.
3. After Sunday's contest, Los Angeles and Texas do not meet again until July 4 weekend when Hamilton should be in the Rangers lineup.