Los Angeles @ Oakland preview
Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
Last Meeting ( Jun 8, 2010 ) LA Angels 1, Oakland 10
One month ago, Dallas Braden was at the top of the baseball world after reaching the pinnacle of his young pitching career by tossing a perfect game against the Tampa Bay Rays.
The Oakland Athletics left-hander hasn’t won since.
Braden (4-5) will look to change that fact when he takes the mound tonight against the Los Angeles Angels in the third game of a four-game series in Oakland.
Braden is 0-3 in five starts since placing his name in baseball annals with his memorable Mother’s Day performance. He has allowed four or more runs in three of those outings.
His first start after the perfect game was against the Angels in Anaheim. It started off well enough, with Braden pitching five shutout innings before the Angels erupted for four runs in the sixth during a 4-0 victory.
Things got progressively worse and Braden has allowed nine runs and 17 hits in 12 1/3 innings over his last two starts as his season earned-run average has risen to 3.77.
Braden is 2-4 with a 4.40 career ERA against the Angels, with his greatest struggles coming against shortstop Erick Aybar (.381 average in 21 career at-bats).
Joe Saunders will oppose Braden today. He was also matched up against Braden in the game in Anaheim.
Saunders began turning his season around that evening. He entered the game with a 1-5 record and 6.19 ERA but tossed a complete-game, four-hit shutout against Braden and the Angels.
He followed that up with a stellar outing against the Chicago White Sox five days later and brings a 4-6 record into today’s game after holding the Seattle Mariners to one run over six innings in his most recent start.
Saunders, who has a 4.78 ERA, has always fared well against Oakland. He has a 10-4 record and 3.73 ERA in 16 career starts against the Athletics.
The left-hander could catch a break if Oakland center fielder Rajai Davis is held out with a hamstring injury he suffered Monday. Davis, who didn’t play Tuesday because of the injury, has a .290 career average with six steals against Saunders.
Oakland catcher Kurt Suzuki traditionally struggles against Saunders. He is 2-for-24 (.083) against him.
Suzuki went 4-for-5 with a homer and four RBIs Tuesday as Oakland pounded Los Angeles 10-1. The Angels won Monday’s first game of the series.
The Athletics are in third place in the American League West but just one game behind first-place Texas. The Angels are a half-game behind the Rangers.
Meanwhile, Angels first baseman Kendry Morales has been scheduled for surgery on Thursday on his broken lower left leg.
Doctors are expected to repair the fibula by inserting a metal rod into Morales’ leg. There’s a chance Morales could return in September if the surgery is successful and his recovery is swift.