Angels at Rangers
The American League-leading Texas Rangers hit a bit of a skid with four straight losses bridging the All-Star break but managed to pull out a win on Sunday to turn the momentum as they continue a nine-game road trip. The Rangers will head to California on Monday to visit the last-place Los Angeles Angels in the opener of a three-game series.
Texas got a tough assignment out of the break with an interleague series at the National League Central-leading Chicago Cubs and totaled one run while dropping the first two games. A gem from Cole Hamels in a 4-1 win on Sunday helped the Rangers avoid a sweep and improved them to 26-23 on the road with a trip to defending-champion Kansas City coming up next weekend. The Angels became the last AL West team to reach 40 wins when they capped off a three-game sweep of the Chicago White Sox with an 8-1 triumph on Sunday. Los Angeles outscored Chicago 16-1 in the series and has won seven of its last nine games overall while surrendering an average of 2.3 runs.
TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Texas), FSN West (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH A.J. Griffin (3-1, 3.81 ERA) vs. Angels RH Nick Tropeano (3-2, 3.12)
Griffin has yet to go more than five innings since coming off the disabled list on June 25 and went into the All-Star break on a sour note. The California native was ripped for six runs on nine hits in five frames against Minnesota on July 10 and has surrendered five home runs in 18 1/3 innings since coming off the DL. Griffin allowed three runs in six innings to beat Los Angeles on April 8 and is 3-2 with a 3.08 ERA in six career starts against the Angels.
Tropeano is a part of Los Angeles’ pitching resurgence of late but is not getting enough offensive support to end up in the win column. The 25-year-old allowed a total of three runs – all on solo homers – over 11 innings while striking out 12 in his last two turns but did not get a decision in either. Tropeano’s last win came at Texas on May 23, when he scattered four hits over 6 2/3 scoreless innings and struck out six.
WALK-OFFS
1. Angels 1B Albert Pujols hit a pair of home runs on Sunday to push his career total to 577, six short of tying Mark McGwire for 10th on the all-time list.
2. Texas RF Shin-Soo Choo (back) missed the last three games and is day-to-day.
3. Los Angeles leadoff hitter 3B Yunel Escobar is 5-for-11 with three runs scored in the last three games.