Los Angeles @ Texas preview
Choctaw Stadium
Last Meeting ( Oct 1, 2010 ) LA Angels 5, Texas 4
C.J. Wilson attempts to relocate his pre-September pitching form in his final playoff tune-up when the Texas Rangers host the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday night.
Wilson suffered through a winless September after winning seven straight decisions following the All-Star break. The left-hander hopes October will prove to be a much better month.
Wilson went 0-3 with a 6.26 ERA in five September starts. He was roughed up for 19 runs in 27 1/3 innings in the process.
For comparison, Wilson was 4-0 in August with a 2.11 ERA when he allowed just nine earned runs in 38 1/3 innings.
Finishing the season with a strong tune-up against the Angels would at least provide a confidence boost after Wilson allowed six runs in five innings to the woeful Seattle Mariners in his last outing.
Wilson has posted a 1-1 mark with a 3.75 ERA in five starts against Los Angeles this season.
Despite his recent struggles, Wilson is 14-8 on the season with a 3.35 ERA.
Ervin Santana will oppose Wilson and the Angels right-hander is 3-0 against Texas this season.
Santana has a 2.35 ERA in the three outings to improve his career record against Texas to 11-6. His ERA in 19 career starts against the Rangers is a rather high 5.36.
Santana (17-9, 3.83 ERA) has already achieved a career-high victory total. He won 16 games in both 2006 and 2008.
The hurler has won four consecutive decisions since losing to the Tampa Bay Rays on Aug. 24.
Josh Hamilton, the leading hitter in the majors, will again play in Saturday night’s game for Texas. Hamilton went 0-for-3 on Friday in his first appearance since breaking two ribs on Sept. 4.
Hamilton is batting .359 and is trying to get his timing down before the start of the postseason. He is just a .143 hitter in 21 career at-bats against Santana.
Two other Rangers have fared much better. Second baseman Ian Kinsler has a .355 average against Santana and third baseman Michael Young is hitting at a .345 clip with three homers and 11 RBIs.
Los Angeles won Friday’s game 5-4 in 11 innings behind Juan Rivera’s second homer of the contest. Texas first baseman Mitch Moreland also clubbed two homers.
Rivera has a .467 career average against Wilson in 15 at-bats.
Texas won the opening game of the four-game series on Thursday and needs just one more victory for its first 90-win campaign since 1999.