Rangers at Angels
After proving to be mortal on the road, the Los Angeles Angels return home to what has been a house of horrors of late as they begin a three-game series against the Texas Rangers on Friday. Los Angeles won 14 of its first 18 road contests this season before finishing 4-6 on a road trip that concluded with Thursday's 6-2 loss in Detroit.
One bright spot in the Angels' trek was rookie catcher Jose Briceno, who went 2-for-4 with a home run in each of his first two major-league starts behind the plate. Texas settled for a split of its four-game series in Seattle after dropping a 6-1 decision on Thursday. Nomar Mazara belted a solo homer as he posted his third consecutive two-hit performance while Adrian Beltre returned from a stint on the disabled list to go 2-for-4. The 39-year-old Dominican, who had been sidelined with a strained left hamstring, raised his career hits total to 3,082 to move past Cap Anson for 22nd place on the all-time list.
TV: 10:07 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (Texas), FS West (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Bartolo Colon (2-2, 3.55 ERA) vs. Angels RH Jaime Barria (4-1, 2.97)
Colon makes his third attempt at career victory No. 243, which will tie him with Juan Marichal for most by a pitcher from the Dominican Republic. The 45-year-old, who is with his 11th major-league team, settled for a no-decision against Kansas City on Saturday after allowing three runs and five hits in seven innings. Colon is 12-8 with five complete games, four shutouts and a 3.62 ERA in 25 starts and one relief appearance against the Angels - the club for which he pitched from 2004-07, leading the American League in 2005 with a career-high 21 wins en route to capturing the Cy Young Award.
Barria came away with a victory over the Yankees in New York on Saturday despite giving up four runs and six hits - three homers - over five innings. The 21-year-old Panamanian rookie went 3-0 with a 2.70 ERA in four starts in May after splitting his two turns the previous month. Barria made his major-league debut at Texas on April 11, notching the win after allowing one hit - a solo homer - in five innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Rangers optioned OF Ryan Rua to Triple-A Round Rock to clear a roster spot for Beltre.
2. Los Angeles 2B Ian Kinsler had a field day against his former team, going 9-for-14 with three doubles, a homer and three RBIs in the four-game series versus Detroit.
3. Texas SS Elvis Andrus (elbow) is expected to hit against soft-toss pitching on Friday.