Los Angeles @ Los Angeles preview
Dodger Stadium
Last Meeting ( Jun 12, 2010 ) LA Angels 4, LA Dodgers 2
The Los Angeles Dodgers were one of the hottest teams in baseball before running into their crosstown nemesis.
Now, the Dodgers are looking to avoid being swept at home for the first time in more than two years when they face the Los Angeles Angels.
One of the main reasons for their predicament is a lack of timely hitting.
The Dodgers hope their top hitters can get back on track today against the Angels, who would like nothing more than to end a long road trip with a sweep in the season's first edition of the "Freeway Series."
The Dodgers entered this series having won four straight and 23 of their last 30 games. But their bats have been silenced by the Angels thus far, and consecutive setbacks by a combined score of 14-3 have them reeling.
On Saturday, Los Angeles managed just five hits in a 4-2 loss. Joe Torre’s team is 1-for-14 with runners in scoring position in the first two games.
The main problem has been the middle of the Dodgers order. Andre Ethier, Manny Ramirez, Matt Kemp and James Loney have combined to go 1-for-27 in the series.
As a result, the Dodgers are in danger of being swept at Chavez Ravine for the first time since dropping three straight to Houston from May 9-11, 2008.
They may be able to avoid the sweep with rookie Carlos Monasterios (3-0, 2.27) on the hill. The Dodgers have won all four of the 24-year-old’s starts.
He allowed three runs and four hits in six-plus innings of a 12-4 win over St. Louis on Monday. The right-hander is making his fifth start in place of the injured Vicente Padilla.
A former reliever, Monasterios will have his hands full with the Angels, who are 10-3 on their season-long14-game road trip. Los Angeles is also 11-3 since losing Kendry Morales to a broken leg.
Torii Hunter drove in a pair of runs and Juan Rivera hit a two-run homer Saturday, leading the Angels to their 15th win in the last 22 games against the Dodgers.
They will try to close out their longest road trip in eight years behind Jered Weaver (5-3, 3.20), who is seeking redemption after being roughed up in his most recent start against the Dodgers.
The right-hander had been 3-1 with a 1.59 ERA in five starts vs. the Dodgers, prior to allowing six runs and 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings of a 6-4 loss on June 20, 2009.
Weaver will have to be better than his last outing if he wants to avenge that performance. He was rocked for six runs and 12 hits in six innings of a 10-1 loss to Oakland on Tuesday.