Los Angeles @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 26, 2013 ) LA Angels 7, Detroit 4

The Los Angeles Angels have been knocking the cover off the ball in the last two games, but big questions still surround the pitching. The Detroit Tigers have their own pitching woes after surrendering 21 runs in the first two games of the series and will be trying to avoid a sweep when they host Los Angeles on Thursday afternoon. The Angels are struggling to fill out the starting rotation but will send ace Jered Weaver on Thursday.

Los Angeles was forced to scratch scheduled starter Tommy Hanson 15 minutes before the start of Wednesday’s 7-4 win and needed six relievers to make it through that contest. The Angels will need some length out of Weaver with long man Billy Buckner likely unavailable. Detroit has had trouble getting out Mike Trout and Erick Aybar in the first two games and has not helped itself with seven errors.

TV: 1:08 p.m. ET, Fox Sports West (Los Angeles), Fox Sports Detroit

PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels RH Jered Weaver (1-4, 4.65 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Doug Fister (6-5, 3.66)

Weaver has not won since his first start off the disabled list on May 29 and has yet to record an out in the seventh inning this season. The right-hander has gone 0-3 with a 6.62 ERA in his last three turns, including allowing a season-high nine hits to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday. Weaver has struggled to a 3-4 record with a 5.47 ERA in nine career starts against Detroit.

Fister had a string of five straight quality starts broken up on Friday, when he was knocked around for six runs and 11 hits in 3 1/3 innings by the Boston Red Sox. The 29-year-old failed to record a strikeout in that outing for the first time since 2011. Fister allowed three unearned runs on five hits in seven innings against the Angels on April 21 but did not factor in the decision.

WALK-OFFS

1. Trout and Aybar are a combined 8-for-18 with nine RBIs in the first two games of the series.

2. Detroit 3B Miguel Cabrera has homered in each of the first two games and is 5-for-18 with one home run in his career against Weaver.

3. Los Angeles CF Peter Bourjos has been limited to defensive replacement due to a sore left thumb. He is day-to-day.

PREDICTION: Tigers 9, Angels 7