Angels vs. Rangers Preview
ARLINGTON, TX (AP) – Success on the road is a key reason the Los Angeles Angels lead the AL West.
View Current Texas Rangers Odds
They seek to take two of three on the road against the reigning division champions for the second time this season Sunday when they conclude their weekend series with the Texas Rangers.
Los Angeles (22-18) is one game below .500 at home, but improved to 13-8 away from home and evened this set with a 3-2 victory Saturday. The Angels, who own a 1 1/2-game division lead over Oakland and Texas, are 3-2 in Arlington this season and have won five of their last eight there.
According to MLB odds and oddsmakers from online sports book SBGGLOBAL.com have made the Rangers -130 money line favorites for Sunday’s game against the Angels. Current MLB Public Betting Information shows that 64% of more than 532 bets for this game have been placed on the Rangers -140.
Maicer Izturis delivered a tiebreaking single in the ninth inning as the Angels sent the Rangers (20-19) to their 12th loss in 18 games.
“Give those guys credit, they put it together and they scored the run they needed to score to win it,” Rangers manager Ron Washington said.
Third baseman Alberto Callaspo drove in the other two runs for Los Angeles, and is 15 for 34 with 10 RBIs in his last nine games.
Izturis is 7 for 19 in the season series with Texas, and .364 during a 10-game hitting streak. He is 6 for 16 with a double against C.J. Wilson (4-2, 3.36 ERA), who will take the mound for the Rangers in the series finale.
However, the left-hander is 3-0 in his last four starts against the Angels, allowing four runs in 26 innings during that stretch. All three victories came in Arlington, where Wilson gave up a run and struck out nine in seven innings of a 7-1 win over Los Angeles on April 18.
Coming off a complete-game victory at Seattle on May 4, Wilson allowed two hits over seven innings but walked a season-high five, hit another batter and surrendered five runs Monday in a 7-2 loss to Oakland.
“The whole game was frustration. It’s good you can’t read body language or read minds, that would be bad,” Wilson said. “That’s how they have to beat me, is I have to make mistakes and walk a bunch of guys.”
Scheduled Angels starter Ervin Santana (1-4, 4.81) was unable to match Wilson in the April meeting, allowing season highs of six runs and 10 hits in four innings. Santana is 7-2 with a 3.59 ERA in nine home starts against the Rangers, but 4-6 with a 7.60 ERA in 12 at Arlington, where he’s given up 11 runs and 19 hits over 10 1-3 innings while losing his last two outings.
The right-hander was not much better Monday, allowing five runs in six innings of an 8-0 loss to Chicago.
“I think he has pitched much better than some of his internal numbers are indicating,” manager Mike Scioscia said. “He hasn’t gotten on that roll we saw from him last year. But it’s in him. No doubt, it’s in him.”
Texas’ Michael Young is a lifetime .375 hitter with three home runs in 64 at-bats against Santana.
Ranking among the major league leaders with a .351 average, Young hopes to continue to thrive at the plate while the Rangers play without injured sluggers Josh Hamilton (shoulder) and Nelson Cruz (quad).
Texas received more bad news Saturday when center fielder Julio Borbon was placed on the 15-day disabled list with inflammation in his left hamstring, leaving the club without any of its opening-day starting outfielders.
Bet On Rangers vs. Angels Odds
Want More From TheSpread.com? Follow us on Twitter and Facebook or Subscribe to Our News Feeds!
|
|
|
Live Odds, Scores, Injuries And More – 14 Day Free Trial! |