Los Angeles @ Oakland preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 29, 2013 ) LA Angels 8, Oakland 10

The Los Angeles Angels and host Oakland Athletics could be moving a little slower Tuesday when they meet in the middle game of their three-game series. The teams played a 19-inning, 6-hour, 32-minute marathon Monday, the longest in the history of both franchises, with the Athletics winning 10-8 on a walk-off two-run homer by Brandon Moss, his second of the game. Albert Pujols also hit two home runs for the Angels, who blew a five-run lead in the eighth inning and twice had the Athletics down to their final out.

Beside the length of the game, the other big story was the injuries. The leadoff hitters for both teams - Peter Bourjos of the Angels and Coco Crisp of the Athletics - limped off with left hamstring injuries in extra innings. Oakland also lost outfielder Chris Young to a pulled quad and Angels third baseman Luis Jimenez left with a shin contusion after getting hit with a throw while beating out an infield single. Oakland left-hander Brett Anderson also appeared to re-injure his ankle during a long relief appearance.

TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, KCOP (Los Angeles), Comcast SportsNet California (Oakland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels RH Garrett Richards (1-1, 3.65 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Jarrod Parker (0-4, 8.10)

Richards’ last two starts haven’t gone as expected. He threw seven shutout innings April 20 against the Detroit Tigers - the best hitting team in the majors, but came back five days later and allowed five runs in seven innings of a 6-0 loss to the light-hitting Seattle Mariners. Richards reportedly has the second-highest average fastball velocity in the majors behind Stephen Strasburg of the Washington Nationals and entered Monday sixth in the majors in the ratio of groundball outs to fly outs. He has made three relief appearances against the Athletics in his career, all coming in 2 2/3 shutout innings last season.

Parker has struggled to match his success from last season, when he finished 13-8 with a 3.47 ERA and capped the season by starting Games 1 and 5 of the American League Division Series against Justin Verlander and the Tigers. Parker has been victimized by control issues, both early and late in the count. He has thrown first-pitch strikes to 54 of the 117 batters he has faced, which has allowed opponents to sit on his fastball. Opposing hitters are batting .402 on balls hit in play, compared to .294 last season. Parker has made five career starts against the Angels and is 1-2 with a 2.90 ERA.

WALK-OFFS

1. Angels SS Erick Aybar went 2-for-5 with a two-run homer Monday in a rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Salt Lake. He could be activated Tuesday after missing three weeks with a bruised left heel.

2. Angels RHP Mark Lowe (left neck strain) and 3B Alberto Callaspo (calf) will make rehab appearances for Single-A Inland Empire on Tuesday. Lowe is not eligible to be activated off the disabled list until May 5.

3. Athletics OF Josh Reddick, who had 15 outfield assists last season - the most by an Athletics player since 1983, recorded his first this season Monday when he threw out Howie Kendrick trying to stretch a single into a double with no outs in the second inning.

PREDICTION: Angels 4, Athletics 3