A’s Look To Continue Winning Ways Against Angels: Game Preview
Apr 28, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics left fielder Yoenis Cespedes (52) is congratulated by teammate Derek Norris (36) after scoring the tying run against the Baltimore Orioles in the ninth inning at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Bob Stanton-USA TODAY Sports
The Oakland Athletics are looking to build off of an impressive comeback win over the Baltimore Orioles in extra innings on Sunday, and Bob Melvin’s squad will try to continue the success they’ve had against the Los Angeles Angels this season when the two teams square off tonight at O.Co Coliseum.
The A’s swept the Angels the second week of the season, outscoring the Halos 28-11 in a three-game series that was the high-point of Oakland’s nine-game win streak. Not much has gone right since for the Angels, and they’ve endured injuries and a lack of offense that has them off to a 9-15 start as they’ve lost five of their last seven, all within the division.
The last time Albert Pujols hit a home run was in the first game of that series against Oakland, and Josh Hamilton and Mike Trout aren’t faring much better for a club that looked like it would have one of the most dangerous hitting lineups in the league when the season started.
Dan Straily will try to make an impression after taking the place of Brett Anderson in the rotation for the night. Anderson is nursing a sprained ankle, and the night off will give him a chance to rest it after a couple rough outings. Straily is making his second start of the season after a stint with Triple-A Sacramento following Bartolo Colon’s return from suspension. In his one appearance, Straily had a career-high 11 strikeouts and allowed two runs over 6.2 innings against the Houston Astros.
For the Angels, Tommy Hanson is making a return from the bereavement list following the death of his stepbrother. The right-hander last appeared April 19 against the Detroit Tigers, and he limited the defending AL champions to six hits with no runs over six innings. He has never pitched against the A’s.
He’ll be facing the AL Player of the Week, Josh Donaldson, who was a source of production over a tough stretch for Oakland, and the big bat of Yoenis Cespedes, which returned in a big way Sunday when the left fielder belted a two-run homer to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth. It’ll be a warm night in Oakland (projected to be around 70 degrees at game time), which usually results in the ball carrying a bit further than normal in the vast expanses of the Coliseum, so fans may be in store for a few more homers if the wind doesn’t kick up as the game goes on.
LINEUPS
Oakland Athletics (14-12)
1. C. Crisp CF
2. S. Smith DH
3. J. Lowrie SS
4. Y. Cespedes LF
5. B. Moss 1B
6. J. Donaldson 3B
7. J. Jaso C
8. J. Reddick RF
9. E. Sogard 2B
Los Angeles Angels (9-15)
1. P. Bourjos CF
2. M. Trout LF
3. A. Pujols 1B
4. J. Hamilton RF
5. M. Trumbo DH
6. H. Kendrick 2B
7. B. Harris SS
8. C. Iannetta C
9. L. Jimenez 3B