Angels at Indians
Rookie center fielder Bradley Zimmer is starting to consistently flex his muscles as the Cleveland Indians go after a season-high seventh consecutive victory in the finale of a three-game series Thursday against the visiting Los Angeles Angels. Zimmer is 8-for-13 with two homers and eight RBIs in his last four games after belting a homer for the second straight night in the Indians’ 10-4 triumph Wednesday.
Zimmer, the 21st pick in the 2014 draft, is just one of many Cleveland players on hot streaks as Francisco Lindor is 10-for-25 over his last six games and Michael Brantley is 8-for-20 during a five-game hitting streak while Carlos Santana has multiple hits in four of his last seven. Trevor Bauer looks to improve on a 3-0 lifetime mark against the Angels in the finale and he will oppose fellow right-hander JC Ramirez, who has been up and down of late. Los Angeles was within a run before its bullpen imploded in the eighth inning Wednesday, giving up seven runs to send the Angels to their sixth loss in 10 games since the All-Star break. Luis Valbuena has homered in three straight games for Los Angeles while All-Star Mike Trout registered three hits in Wednesday’s loss and has six RBIs in the last seven contests.
TV: 12:10 p.m. ET, FSN West (Los Angeles), STO (Cleveland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels RH JC Ramirez (9-8, 4.38 ERA) vs. Indians RH Trevor Bauer (8-8, 5.58)
Ramirez has won two of his last three starts after limiting Boston to three runs (one earned) on five hits over six innings for a career-high ninth victory. The 28-year-old from Nicaragua, who has four quality starts in his last eight outings, has given up one home run in four games after surrendering 17 in his first 18 appearances. Ramirez makes his first career start against Cleveland and is 7-3 on the road with a 3.60 ERA as opposed to 2-5 with a 5.10 mark at home.
Bauer rebounded from his shortest outing of the season by beating Toronto last time out, allowing three runs on six hits over five innings. The 26-year-old UCLA product, who boasts 111 strikeouts in 98 1/3 innings, did not get out of the first inning in his previous start and gave up four runs or more for the ninth time in 19 outings. Ben Revere (4-for-6) and Trout (3-for-7, four walks) have caused trouble for Bauer, who owns a 3.14 ERA lifetime against the Angels.
WALK-OFFS
1. Trout would join Alex Rodriguez, Tony Conigliaro and Mickey Mantle in a group that recorded at least 20 homers six times before age 26 with his next blast.
2. Cleveland OF Abraham Almonte was optioned to Triple-A Columbus on Wednesday and RHP Shawn Armstrong got recalled.
3. Los Angeles SS Andrelton Simmons is 10-for-18 during a five-game hitting streak and is batting .391 in July.