The Los Angeles Angels can match their longest winning streak of the season when they open a three-game series against the Kansas City Royals on Friday night in Anaheim, Calif.
The Angels pounded out 15 hits, including 14 singles, and rookie right-hander Walbert Urena allowed two hits over six innings in a 7-0 victory over the Texas Rangers on Thursday, extending Los Angeles’ winning streak to three games and moving the Angels a half-game ahead of the Athletics into sole possession of fourth place in the American League West.
Los Angeles has won four in a row twice this season, most recently June 9-13 when it won two games each against the Houston Astros and Tampa Bay Rays. Next up is a Kansas City team that has lost four in a row and has the worst road record (20-43) in the AL.
The game will have no impact on the playoff race. After the Athletics (47-74), the Angels (48-74) and Royals (49-73) have the worst records in the American League
Right-hander Grayson Rodriguez (3-5, 7.20 ERA) will make his second career start against the Royals and first since May 4, 2023, when he was a rookie with the Baltimore Orioles. Rodriguez gave up six runs on eight hits in 3 2/3 innings in a no-decision in the game the Orioles won 13-10.
Veteran right-hander Seth Lugo (5-7, 4.41 ERA) will start on Friday for Kansas City, which had a day off in Southern California on Thursday after getting swept in three games by Los Angeles Dodgers.
Lugo is 2-0 with a 3.45 ERA in five career appearances (four starts) against the Angels and came away with a no-decision in an April 26 home start against Los Angeles. The Royals won 11-9 in 10 innings despite Lugo allowing seven runs on 14 hits over 6 1/3 innings.
Lugo has sparkled, though, in two career appearances (one start) at Angel Stadium, compiling a 1-0 record and an 0.96 ERA. He has allowed just five hits and one earned run in 9 1/3 innings in Anaheim, also striking out 13.
The big question for Kansas City entering Friday’s game is will nine-time All-Star catcher/DH Salvador Perez be in the lineup?
Perez, tied for second on the team in home runs (16) and third in RBIs (52), left Wednesday’s 4-2 loss to the Dodgers after the fifth inning with what the team termed right elbow aggravation. Perez said he hopes to play Friday.
“He just has some right elbow soreness,” Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro said. “It’s very similar to what he had when we started not catching him as much, probably six weeks, two months ago, whatever it was. Just flared up on him a little bit today.”
The Royals swept a three-game series against the Angels in Kansas City on April 24-26, outscoring the Angels 29-13.
The Angels enter Friday’s game off of one of their most impressive wins of the season. Thursday’s shutout of the Rangers moved Los Angeles out of the AL West cellar for the first time since April 28.
The Angels also improved to 7-3 against the Rangers this season, winning six of seven meetings at Angel Stadium.
Los Angeles is just 41-71 against the rest of its opponents.
“That’s a great team over there,” Los Angeles manager Kurt Suzuki said of the Rangers. “For whatever reason … we just find ways to score and play well against them. I can’t explain it.”
–Field Level Media
