Texas @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 11, 2014 ) LA Angels 7, Texas 3

With the American League West title under wraps, the Los Angeles Angels can turn their attention toward securing baseball's best record when they begin a three-game home series versus the cellar-dwelling Texas Rangers. The Angels have faced little resistance from their division rival, outscoring Texas by a 24-7 margin in a three-game sweep from Sept. 9-11, and have won 13 of the 16 meetings this season. Los Angeles opted to rest its stars on Thursday and settled for a split of its four-game series with Seattle following a 3-1 setback.

The Rangers own the majors' worst mark at 60-92, but they have won a season-high six straight and completed a three-game sweep of reeling Oakland with a 7-2 triumph on Thursday. Texas interim manager Tim Bogar did his best to put a positive spin on his team's predicament. "It's a bad thing to lose 100 games," he said. "Is 99 much better? Well, it sounds much better."

TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, KTXA (Texas), FSW (Los Angeles)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Lisalverto Bonilla (1-0, 4.66 ERA) vs. Angels LH Hector Santiago (5-8, 3.55)

After a pair of relief appearances, Bonilla secured the win in his first career start after allowing two runs on four hits in six innings against Atlanta on Saturday. The 24-year-old Dominican struggled with his control and issued four walks to drive up his pitch count. Bonilla sputtered in a relief appearance versus the Angels on Sept. 10, yielding three runs on one hit in two-thirds of an inning.

Santiago suffered his first loss since June 15 after permitting three runs on five hits in two innings in a 6-1 setback to Houston on Sunday. The 26-year-old allowed a three-run homer to Gregorio Petit, marking his fifth straight appearance that he has been taken deep. Santiago owns a 1-2 career mark against Seattle but tossed 2 2/3 scoreless innings and struck out a pair to pick up the win on July 18

WALK-OFFS

1. Los Angeles C Hank Conger belted a solo homer on Thursday and has exactly one hit in six of his last eight games.

2. Texas OF Jake Smolinski collected four hits on Thursday and is 6-for-13 with a homer, three RBIs and three runs scored since coming off the disabled list.

3. Angels OF Josh Hamilton was shut down due to pain in his chest and right rib cage, the Los Angeles Times reported. The former Ranger had just returned after missing 11 games due to a shoulder injury.

PREDICTION: Angels 3, Rangers 2