St. Louis @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( May 23, 2010 ) LA Angels 5, St. Louis 6

Albert Pujols faces his former team for the first time when the Los Angeles Angels begin a three-game series against the visiting St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday. Pujols, who signed with the Angels as a free agent last season after playing 11 illustrious years in St. Louis, has four hits in his last 34 at-bats and is hitting .249 with 13 home runs and 49 RBIs. The Angels have won six in a row, while St. Louis has lost six of its last eight.

Angels outfielder Mike Trout missed his first game of the season Sunday with a sore hamstring, but he’s expected to return for Tuesday’s series opener. Trout will likely start in center field while J.B. Shuck starts in left field after Peter Bourjos was placed on the 15-day disabled list Sunday with a fractured right wrist. Angels outfielder Josh Hamilton is showing signs of breaking out of his season-long slump, batting .273 with five RBIs in his last five games.

TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Midwest (St. Louis), Fox Sports West (Los Angeles)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Lance Lynn (10-2, 3.52 ERA) vs. Angels RH Jered Weaver (1-4, 4.15)

Lynn suffered his second loss last Wednesday against the Astros, allowing four runs in 7 2/3 innings. The 26-year-old right-hander has allowed four or more runs in three of his last four starts while posting a 5.84 ERA during that stretch. Lynn, who has never faced the Angels, is 1-1 with a 4.70 ERA in seven career interleague games (two starts).

After three straight shaky outings, Weaver pitched seven innings of one-run ball against the Tigers last Thursday. “We’re confident that he’s going to pitch more like he did today than the way he has in a couple of his last starts,” manager Mike Scioscia told reporters. The 30-year-old Weaver has a 13-4 record with a 2.61 ERA in interleague play.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cardinals 1B Matt Adams is expected to return to the starting lineup Tuesday after missing Sunday’s contest with food poisoning.

2. Angels 2B Howie Kendrick is hitting .356 (58-for-163) since May 14.

3. The Cardinals are 18-9 in the first game of a series.

PREDICTION: Angels 4, Cardinals 2