Los Angeles @ Texas preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 11, 2014 ) LA Angels 3, Texas 0

The Los Angeles Angels attempt to continue their torrid pace when they visit the Texas Rangers for the third contest of their four-game series on Saturday. Los Angeles trounced Texas 15-6 in the opener but posted a tamer 3-0 victory a day later behind a stellar effort from Garrett Richards, who extended his winning streak to seven games by allowing five hits in seven innings. Mike Trout homered and fellow All-Star Erick Aybar collected two hits and an RBI as the Angels won for the eighth time in nine contests.

The Rangers managed only six hits Friday, with Alex Rios registering two. The loss was Texas' sixth in a row and 20th in 23 games as the club fell to 9-25 in its last 34 contests at home. The Rangers are 0-5 on their seven-game homestand and have dropped six straight at Globe Life Park, last winning there on June 28 against Minnesota.

TV: 7:15 p.m. ET, FOX

PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels RH Jered Weaver (9-6, 3.50 ERA) vs. Rangers RH Miles Mikolas (0-1, 12.46)

Weaver lasted only two innings versus Toronto on Monday due to a back injury but was deemed ready to face the Rangers. The 31-year-old went 2-0 over his previous three starts, with the no-decision coming in an outing June 21 against Texas in which he yielded just one run and four hits in eight frames. Weaver is 13-8 with a 3.57 ERA in 33 career starts versus the Rangers.

Mikolas followed a decent major-league debut July 2 with a clunker as he was battered for nine runs and 12 hits over 3 1/3 innings of a loss to Houston on Monday. The 25-year-old retired the Astros in order in the first inning but surrendered six consecutive hits to start the second, including a three-run triple by Marwin Gonzalez that capped the string. Mikolas made two relief appearances against the Angels in 2012 while with San Diego, going 1-0 while allowing two hits in four scoreless frames.

WALK-OFFS

1. Aybar his batting .379 (11-for-29) with six RBIs during his seven-game hitting streak.

2. Texas OF Jake Smolinski is expected to be in the lineup after leaving Friday's contest with a elbow contusion suffered when he was hit by a pitch.

3. Rangers 3B Adrian Beltre is riding a 15-game hitting streak - his longest since 2008.

PREDICTION: Angels 7, Rangers 3