Braves at Angels
The Los Angeles Angels did not fare well in the first game of an extended period of time without Mike Trout but hope to even their three-game interleague series against the visiting Atlanta Braves on Tuesday. The Angels hit three home runs in Monday's opener, but all were solo shots as they dropped a 6-3 decision for their fifth loss in six contests.
Los Angeles will be without Trout for 6-8 weeks as the star outfielder has decided to undergo surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb, which he suffered at Miami on Sunday. Atlanta evened its record at 2-2 on its nine-game road trip Monday with a six-run third inning that featured two-run doubles by Matt Adams and Danny Santana. Adams has recorded six RBIs in nine games since being acquired from St. Louis and has hit safely in six of his last eight contests. Ender Inciarte has hit safely in eight of his last nine games and 14 of 16 after going 2-for-4 in the opener.
TV: 10:07 p.m. ET, FSN Southeast (Atlanta), FSN West (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Bartolo Colon (2-5, 6.96 ERA) vs. Angels RH Parker Bridwell (NR)
Every start by Colon could be his last, as he has been pounded for seven or more hits in each of his last seven outings and yielded five or more runs four times in that span. The 44-year-old Dominican suffered his fourth loss in five decisions on Thursday, when he was tagged for seven runs on 10 hits and three walks over five innings. Colon, who hasn't made it out of the sixth frame since April 21 at Philadelphia, is 12-7 with five complete games, four shutouts and a 3.57 ERA in 24 career starts against the Angels.
Bridwell will be summoned from Triple-A Salt Lake to make his first major-league start in place of the injured Alex Meyer (back spasms). The 25-year-old went 2-1 with a 0.92 ERA in four appearances (three starts) with the Bees this season and 0-1 with a 2.00 mark in three turns for Double-A Mobile. Acquired from Baltimore in April, Bridwell yielded five runs and five hits - two homers - over 3 1/3 innings in two relief outings with the Orioles last season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Angels DH Albert Pujols went deep Monday and is now two blasts away from becoming the ninth player in major-league history to reach the 600-homer plateau.
2. Atlanta RHP Josh Collmenter, who went 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA in 11 relief appearances, was sent outright to Triple-A Gwinnett on Monday - four days after being designated for assignment.
3. Los Angeles purchased the contract of OF Eric Young Jr. from Salt Lake to replace Trout on the roster and transferred LHP Tyler Skaggs (oblique) to the 60-day disabled list.