Los Angeles @ Oakland preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 11, 2013 ) Oakland 8, LA Angels 1

The Los Angeles Angels are experiencing a dreadful April and one of the low points was when the Oakland Athletics scored 28 runs while rolling to a three-game sweep in Anaheim. The teams open a three-game series in Oakland on Monday and the Angels (9-15) find themselves in fourth place in the American League West after losing three of four games to the Seattle Mariners. Oakland snapped a four-game skid by notching a 10-inning victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday.

The Athletics got cleanup hitter Yoenis Cespedes back from a hand injury on Sunday and he made an immediate impact by hitting a tying two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth. “He takes pressure off everybody in the lineup,” Athletics manager Bob Melvin said prior to Sunday’s game. “Even when he’s not swinging well, I think guys have less pressure on themselves. The other team is always aware of where he is, and therefore to have someone like that to impact the lineup, it helps everyone else out.” The Los Angeles 2-3-4 tandem of Mike Trout, Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton is scuffling and went 0-for-12 with five strikeouts in Sunday’s 2-1 loss. The trio combined to go 8-for-45 in the four games in Seattle.

TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, Fox Sports West (Los Angeles), Comcast SportsNet Bay Area (Oakland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels RH Tommy Hanson (2-1, 4.24 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Dan Straily (1-0, 2.70)

Hanson is coming off the bereavement list after the recent death of his 24-year-old stepbrother. He last pitched April 19 when he hurled six innings of six-hit shutout ball against the Detroit Tigers. Hanson has a 1.53 WHIP in 17 innings and has struck out only eight hitters. Oakland’s Seth Smith is 2-for-6 against him stemming from when both players were in the National League.

Straily is joining the club Monday to make the start due to an injury to Brett Anderson (ankle). He started in place of suspended Bartolo Colon on April 5 and struck out a career-best 11 while limiting the Houston Astros to two runs and five hits in 6 2/3 innings. Straily was sent down after that contest and compiled a 0.96 ERA and went 3-0 in three starts at Triple-A Sacramento. He went 1-0 with a 6.35 ERA in two starts against the Angels last season and allowed six homers in 11 1/3 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Athletics are 10-2 this season with Cespedes in the lineup and 4-10 without him.

2. Trout was 4-for-7 against Straily last season while Pujols was hitless in six at-bats.

3. Oakland SS Jed Lowrie (.344) missed Sunday’s game due to a neck strain but is expected back for the series opener.

PREDICTION: Athletics 4, Angels 2