Tampa Bay @ Los Angeles preview
Angel Stadium
Last Meeting ( May 10, 2010 ) Tampa Bay 4, LA Angels 5
Whatever mojo the Tampa Bay Rays built up during the seasons’ first 14 road games seems to have completely gone by the wayside the past three days.
Tampa Bay dropped its third in a row away from home with a 5-4 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Monday. Before the streak, the club had gone 13-1 to open the campaign, the second best mark in the majors since 1984.
After suffering a perfect game at the hands of Dallas Braden and the Oakland Athletics on Sunday, the Rays looked like they would again quietly against the Angels. That is until Evan Longoria’s two-run double capped a three-run ninth inning to send it to extras.
It didn’t matter as Los Angeles won it in the 11th on Juan Rivera’s sacrifice fly and found life more enjoyable back in the friendly confines following a dismal road trip that produced a 2-8 record.
The Angels will eye back-to-back wins and the Rays will attempt to snap their mini-skid when the squads meet in Tuesday’s contest.
Heading to the hill for Tampa Bay will be right-hander Jeff Niemann, who can move to 3-0 on the season with a win. Both of his victories to date have come on the road as he has been dealt four no-decisions.
Niemann has been extremely sharp through the past five starts after lasting just 1 1/3 innings in his season opener because of an injury. He has allowed three or fewer runs in each outing and has issued just 11 walks in 36.1 innings.
The 27-year-old is coming off seven innings of shutout ball as he scattered four hits during an 8-0 win over the Seattle Mariners.
Niemann made two unsuccessful starts against the Angels in 2009, going 0-2 and allowing nine runs in nine total innings.
Scott Kazmir draws the start for the Angels as he faces a familiar foe. The left-hander spent five seasons with Tampa Bay before a midseason trade last year. It will be his first time facing the Rays since the deal went down.
Kazmir has fared better this season while pitching at Angels Stadium, but is coming off his worst start of the year in which he was shelled for seven runs in 4 1/3 innings against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.
Kazmir, who started the season on the disabled list, is 2-2 and owns a 7.11 ERA through five starts.