Angels at Rangers
Hector Santiago may have born in Newark, N.J., but the 28-year-old has made himself at home at Globe Life Park. The Los Angeles Angels left-hander carries a 5-0 career mark and a 2.13 ERA when he visits the Texas Rangers into Friday's opener of a three-game series between the American League West rivals.
Santiago settled for a no-decision despite pitching six strong innings versus the Rangers on April 7, with the clubs splitting the four-game series. Los Angeles completed its six-game homestand with a sweep of Kansas City and opens a six-game trek versus Texas, at which it won seven of the 10 meetings last year. Mike Trout extended his hitting streak to eight games by homering twice and driving in five runs in the series versus the Royals, and is 12-for-30 (.400) with four blasts and 11 RBIs against Friday starter Colby Lewis. Texas' Elvis Andrus is 4-for-7 with two RBIs in his last two contests, but is just 5-for-29 against Santiago.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, FSN West (Los Angeles), FSN Southwest (Texas)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels LH Hector Santiago (2-0, 2.70 ERA) vs. Rangers RH Colby Lewis (1-0, 3.38)
Santiago has come on during his last two starts, scattering two hits and striking out 10 over seven sterling innings in a 7-0 victory over the Chicago White Sox on April 18 before allowing two runs in six frames of a 4-2 win versus Seattle five nights later. Santiago has struck out 27 batters in 26 2/3 innings, but has served up four homers in that stretch. Rougned Odor is 9-for-19 with a homer and three doubles in his career against Santiago.
Talk about your consistency: Lewis has worked exactly six innings in each of his four starts this season, permitting just one run versus the White Sox on Saturday. The 36-year-old did encounter some trouble as he yielded four walks in that contest and allowed his sixth homer of the season. Lewis has struggled mightily against the Angels, losing 10 of his last 13 decisions since 2010.
WALK-OFFS
1. Texas 3B Adrian Beltre went 5-for-13 with one homer, three doubles and two RBIs in his final three games versus Los Angeles (April 8-10).
2. Angels 3B Yunel Escobar followed up a 2-for-19 stretch by going 6-for-16 with two homers and three scored in his last four contests.
3. Rangers RHP Yu Darvish (Tommy John surgery) is slated to make his first minor-league rehabilitation start on Sunday.