Detroit @ Los Angeles preview
Angel Stadium
Last Meeting ( Apr 20, 2010 ) Detroit 5, LA Angels 6
All of the sudden, the Los Angeles Angels are beginning to resemble the team that captured the past three American League West crowns.
Slow out of the blocks -- losing five of their first six -- the Angels are rounding into form with their fifth straight win, most recently a 6-5 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday night.
The Angels moved to over .500 for first time on the season, improving to 8-7 and creeping closer back to the top of the division standings.
Hideki Matsui supplied the offense on Tuesday, knocking in a pair of runs on a double in the fifth that stretched the advantage to 6-0. Matsui, who was last year’s World Series MVP with the New York Yankees, is batting .309 with team-bests of three homers and 10 RBIs.
The Angels got a strong outing from Scott Kazmir in the win and hope that ace Jered Weaver can follow-up with a steady performance of his own in the second game of the series against the Tigers on Wednesday
Weaver has been terrific in three starts to date, going 2-0 with a 2.84 ERA and 21 strikeouts against 14 hits over 19 innings. The right-hander had his best showing of the young season on Friday, allowing two runs on five hits in seven innings against the Toronto Blue Jays.
As an added bonus, Weaver is even better when pitching at Angel Stadium, compiling a record of 28-12 with a 3.26 ERA in 55 starts at home.
He has, however, struggled in five starts against the Tigers with a 2-2 record and 7.36 ERA.
Opposing Weaver for the Tigers will be Jeremy Bonderman, who is eying a rebound performance after a clunker against the Seattle Mariners on Friday. The right-hander gave up 10 runs -- eight earned -- on nine hits with four walks over four innings.
Bonderman has made 10 career starts against the Angels, going 3-3 with a 4.67 ERA.
Detroit has stumbled in the last week, dropping five of the past six contests to fall to 7-7 on the season.
Miguel Cabrera added to his team high RBI total of 17 with a three-run double against the Angels on Tuesday. The Tigers dug themselves a large hole as starter Rick Porcello allowed six runs on eight hits in 4 1/3 innings.