Los Angeles @ Cleveland Preview
Progressive Field
Last Meeting ( Sep 8, 2010 ) Cleveland 3, LA Angels 4
In case anyone missed it the first time, or if someone wants to see it again for some strange reason, the Los Angeles Angels and Cleveland Indians begin a three-game series on Tuesday.
The teams played three contests in Anaheim last week, a series that lasted 34 long innings. The Indians won the first two before the Angels claimed the finale in a game that dragged on for 16 innings and took 4 hours and 57 minutes to play.
Ironically, the pitchers who started that game will be on the mound again in the opener.
Scott Kazmir and Josh Tomlin both pitched well in the contest that seemed like it would never end, but were long gone when the Angels finally won it on Jeff Mathis' sacrifice fly. Both went six innings with Kazmir allowing one run and Tomlin giving up three.
Kazmir held the Indians to two hits, struck out six and walked three in one of his few strong outings of the season. The left-hander has been a major disappointment in his first full campaign with the Angels. He is 1-8 in his last 11 starts with the only win coming against the Detroit Tigers on Aug. 7.
Kazmir has shown an inability to throw strikes, hasn't been able to go after hitters and has put too many runners on base with walks. That combination has led to high pitch counts and, as a result, Kazmir often doesn't venture past five or six innings.
Tomlin didn't allow a hit through 4 1/3 innings in that contest, but ran into trouble in the fifth by allowing a two-run homer to Mike Napoli and a solo home run to Peter Bourjos.
The right-hander will be making his ninth major league start since being called up from Triple-A Columbus.
Tomlin isn't overpowering, but he isn't afraid to go after hitters and has been impressive enough to be a candidate to be in the rotation in 2011. He has won his last two decisions.
The marathon victory began a four-game winning streak for Los Angeles, which swept the Seattle Mariners at home over the weekend. The Angels finally put together some consistent play in all areas and outscored the Mariners, 14-7, in the series.
The winning streak has moved the Angels within three games of the .500 mark, which is about all that potentially can motivate the defending AL West champs in this disappointing season.
The Indians are trying to avoid a last place finish in the AL Central. Cleveland dropped two of three to the first-place Minnesota Twins in a weekend series, but is 5-5 in its last 10 games.
The Angels are making their first and only trip to Cleveland with three weeks left in the season.