Phillies at Angels
Albert Pujols takes a swing at tying Sammy Sosa for eighth place on the all-time home run list when the Los Angeles Angels host the Philadelphia Phillies in the middle contest of their three-game series on Wednesday. Pujols belted a three-run shot for career blast No. 608 during Tuesday's 7-1 victory.
The 37-year-old Pujols went 3-for-4 with a season-high five RBIs in the opener and is a scorching 6-for-9 with three homers and nine RBIs over his last two games. The lava-hot spree follows a stretch during which Pujols accumulated 24 consecutive hitless at-bats. Beating the Angels continues to be a troublesome task for the Phillies, who have lost 10 straight meetings. Philadelphia began an eight-game road trip with Tuesday's defeat after winning its previous five contests - one shy of its season high.
TV: 10:07 p.m. ET, CSN Philadelphia, FSN West (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH Jake Thompson (1-0, 4.50 ERA) vs. Angels RH JC Ramirez (9-9, 4.29)
Thompson is making his second start of the season after defeating Atlanta on Friday. The 23-year-old gave up five hits and struck out five over five scoreless innings in the victory. Thompson made 10 starts for the Phillies in 2016, going 3-6 with a 5.70 ERA and 1.51 WHIP.
Ramirez struggled with his control in a loss to Cleveland on Thursday as he issued a career-high six walks. The 28-year-old gave up two runs and five hits in 6 2/3 innings for his fourth setback in his last six turns. Ramirez isn't faring well at home, posting a 2-5 record and 5.10 ERA in 11 appearances (10 starts).
WALK-OFFS
1. The Angels, who have scored 30 runs while winning three of their last four contests, are four games behind Kansas City for the American League's second wild-card berth.
2. Philadelphia 2B Cesar Hernandez has notched two hits in four straight games and five of his last six.
3. Los Angeles RHP Huston Street, already sidelined with a groin injury, was discovered to have a rotator cuff strain in his pitching shoulder and his return this season is in jeopardy.