Los Angeles @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 15, 2013 ) LA Angels 2, Minnesota 8

Two teams that have struggled out of the gate this season will try to find a groove Tuesday when the Minnesota Twins host the Los Angeles Angels in the middle game of their three-game series. Both the Twins and Angels have already experienced five-game losing streaks this season. The Twins ended theirs with an 8-2 victory in Monday’s series opener. The Angels came into that game riding their first two-game winning streak of the season but fell to 4-9 with the loss, the same record they started with last season before missing the playoffs by four games.

Minnesota catcher Joe Mauer had four hits in Monday’s win to raise his batting average to .346 and extend his hitting streak to four games. He struggled against American League West pitching last season, hitting .245, well below his overall average of .319. The hottest hitter for the Angels might be rookie third baseman Luis Jimenez, who has five hits in 12 at-bats since he was recalled Friday from Triple-A Salt Lake. Jimenez figures to get a few more looks at third as Opening Day starter Alberto Callaspo is out for the series with a strained right calf.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, Fox Sports West (Los Angeles), Fox Sports North (Minnesota)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels LH Jason Vargas (0-1, 4.76 ERA) vs. Twins RH Mike Pelfrey (1-1, 7.36)

The Angels have combined for three runs in the two starts for Vargas, both of which ended with him getting pulled after 5 2/3 innings. He didn’t receive any run support in his lone start at Target Field last season either, but it probably wouldn’t have mattered as he was lit up for six runs and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings of the 10-0 loss while with the Seattle Mariners. Trevor Plouffe and Josh Willingham homered off Vargas in that game. Vargas has been especially rocky on the road in his career, owning a 5.18 ERA compared to a 3.55 mark at home.

Pelfrey is also trying to impress his new team. Pelfrey, who came over from the New York Mets in the offseason, was solid in his debut April 4, allowing two runs (none earned) and five hits while working 5 1/3 innings of an 8-2 win against the Detroit Tigers. He was roughed up five days later against the Kansas City Royals, giving up six earned runs and eight hits in two innings. He has made two career starts against the Angels and won both, but those came in 2008 and 2011, before heavy hitters Mike Trout, Josh Hamilton and Albert Pujols joined the team.

WALK-OFFS

1. Angels 2B Howie Kendrick is hitting .354 in 41 career games against Minnesota and Trout is batting .407 in eight career games.

2. Angels pitchers have allowed 19 home runs this season compared to six for the Twins.

3. The Angels lead the American League with 11 fielding errors.

PREDICTION: Twins 4, Angels 3