Kansas City @ Los Angeles preview
Angel Stadium
Last Meeting ( Jul 3, 2010 ) Kansas City 4, LA Angels 2
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim probably thought they had a solid chance to earn a sweep of Kansas City when their three-game series began Friday night.
The Angels are in the thick of the American League West race and Kansas City has become an afterthought in the AL Central.
But the Royals have been more than just pesky gnats annoying the Angels. They actually have been more like mosquitoes, sucking some of the lifeblood out of the Angels to the point where Kansas City is poised for its first three-game sweep of the season in Sunday’s finale.
Kansas City (36-45) won a two-game series in May against Cleveland and has only put together three streaks of three wins or more this season, all in overlapping series.
The Royals last won a three-game series on Sept. 8-10, 2009, against Detroit. A victory tonight would give Kansas City a season-high four wins in a row.
Los Angeles has not lost three in a row since a seven-game slide from April 30-May 6.
The Royals seem to be at a disadvantage on the mound, starting right-hander Anthony Lerew (1-1, 3.63 ERA) against right-hander Joel Pineiro (8-6, 4.23), who has won five consecutive starts.
But the Royals have been the underdogs in the first two pitching matchups of this series and fared well.
Bruce Chen was perfect through six innings on Saturday before Erick Aybar singled to lead off the seventh inning. Chen left after Jeff Mathis hit a solo homer in the eighth, allowing just those two hits in 7 1/3 innings in the Royals’ 4-2 victory.
Lerew picked up his first victory June 28 in his 17th major league appearance. Tonight he tries for his first road victory.
Pineiro, who has allowed just six earned runs in his last 29 1/3 innings, has been much better at home than on the road. At Angel Stadium he has a 2.47 ERA compared to 6.80 on the road. He makes his ninth start and 14th appearance against the Royals, going 4-4 with a 4.23 ERA.
Angels outfielder Juan Rivera missed his fourth consecutive start Saturday because of an ailment in his left eye. Rivera had an eye exam Saturday and had 20-20 vision, but is expected to sit again tonight, saying doctors told him it was stress-related and that he needed more rest.
Kansas City third baseman Alberto Callaspo suffered a strained left wrist Friday night and missed Saturday’s start. The switch-hitter has had more trouble batting right-handed and his return remains uncertain.