With their wild-card hopes dwindling, the Los Angeles Angels will turn to right-hander Jose Soriano in a bid to salvage the finale of their three-game series against the last-place Athletics on Sunday in West Sacramento, Calif.
The Angels entered the series with plenty of momentum after sweeping a three-game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Angels, however, have been outscored 17-5 in the first two contests by an A’s team that they had beaten eight straight times.
Los Angeles now finds itself seven games behind the New York Yankees in the race for the final American League wild-card spot.
Soriano (8-9, 3.84 ERA), who is 6-2 with a 2.48 ERA on the road this season, comes in off one of his best outings of the season. He scattered two hits over six shutout innings while striking out six in a 7-4 victory against the Dodgers.
Soriano has struggled against the Athletics, compiling a 1-2 record and 6.86 ERA in six career appearances (four starts).
Left-hander Jeffrey Springs (10-8, 4.06) will try and pitch the A’s to their fourth series sweep of the season, and second since the All-Star break. He is 2-3 with a 4.50 ERA in 12 appearances (three starts) against the Angels.
The Athletics have hit five homers in the first two games of the series, including a pair by rookie outfielder Colby Thomas.
Brent Rooker hit his 25th home run in Saturday night’s 7-2 victory to become the first A’s player since Khris Davis in 2016-18 to hit at least 25 homers in three consecutive seasons.
“It doesn’t surprise me that Rook is having the year he’s having and helping this club win games,” Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said. “The way he’s doing it this year, he’s grown into his leadership role, and it’s been nice to watch.”
Right-hander Luis Morales, 22, picked up his first major league win in his second career start, allowing one run on five singles over five innings while striking out five.
Los Angeles starter Tyler Anderson, who had skipped a start because of back stiffness, extended his team record streak of consecutive starts without a victory to 20 games. He permitted four runs on three hits and five walks in four innings while striking out just one.
Anderson hasn’t won a game since April 18 against San Francisco. He is 0-7 with a 5.33 ERA since.
“Obviously, you want to win every game, and being in a good spot, you want to keep rolling,” Anderson told the Orange County Register. “But it’s part of the game. Sometimes it happens.’
Anderson walked Shea Langeliers to open the bottom of the first inning and, one batter later, gave up a 413-foot, two-run homer to Thomas. He walked the bases loaded in the third and then surrendered a two-run single to Darell Hernaiz that made it 4-1.
“It was a bit of a grind, obviously,” Angels in
terim manager Ray Montgomery said. “The walks were an issue. He kind of was working through it mechanically a little bit. Obviously, couldn’t get on track.”
–Field Level Media
