Los Angeles @ Minnesota preview
Target Field
Last Meeting ( Aug 21, 2010 ) LA Angels 9, Minnesota 3
Jered Weaver looks to bounce back from an uncharacteristic shaky outing when he takes the mound for the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday night against the Minnesota Twins.
Weaver will also be attempting to help the Angels get back above the .500 mark in the finale of the three-game series. Los Angeles won Saturday’s game and Minnesota took Friday’s opener.
The All-Star right-hander was roughed up for six runs and six hits in five innings by Boston in his last start. Weaver allowed two homers and saw his earned-run average rise from 2.87 to 3.11.
It was one of Weaver’s poorest efforts of the season and followed a stretch in which Weaver had allowed just two earned runs and 13 hits in 22 innings over his previous three outings.
Weaver (11-8) leads the majors with 186 strikeouts and perhaps is beginning to tire, going just 3-5 over his last nine starts.
Weaver is 4-1 with a 3.64 ERA in seven career starts against Minnesota.
Scott Baker starts for the Twins, squaring off against Weaver for the second time this season.
The Angels won the April matchup between the two hurlers by a 6-3 score. Weaver gave up three runs in six innings and Baker allowed four runs in 4 2/3 innings.
Baker (10-9, 4.85 ERA) has won three consecutive decisions and Minnesota has won each of his last five starts.
He took a no-decision against the Chicago White Sox in his last outing when he gave up four runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings.
Baker, who has allowed 21 homers, has struggled against the Angels. He’s 0-5 with a 5.82 ERA in eight career starts.
Los Angeles’ victory on Saturday was just the team’s seventh in the last 25 road contests.
Rookie Peter Bourjos hit his first major league homer as part of a four-RBI contest.
Bobby Abreu also homered for the Angels. It was the 15th of the season for Abreu, who’s one of just three current active players with 15 or more homers in each of the past 13 seasons. Vladimir Guerrero and Alex Rodriguez are the other two.
The Angels have yet to use infielder Macier Izturis in the series. Izturis was scratched from Friday’s lineup due to shoulder soreness and he also sat out Saturday.
Minnesota’s Michael Cuddyer had two hits and two RBIs on Saturday and is batting .400 (8-for-20) over the past five games.
However, Cuddyer is just 2-for-15 (.133) in his career against Weaver.