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Angels get Wilson back in matchup with Rays

Aug 2, 2014 - 3:15 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - C.J. Wilson will make his return to the Los Angeles Angels rotation on Saturday as they play the second part of a three-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field.

Wilson has not pitched since July 9, as he has been on the DL with a sprained right ankle. Wilson was in the midst of a tough season before going on the DL, with a 4.33 ERA. However, he has managed a decent 8-6 record despite being on pace for his the highest ERA of his career as a starter.

In Wilson's last start he lasted only 3 2/3 innings and allowed three runs on eight hits against Houston. He has failed to get past the fifth inning in each of his last three starts.

Pitching against Tampa Bay may help him get back on track, considering he threw a shutout against them on May 17. He is 5-2 with a 2.99 ERA in 22 career outings against the Rays, with nine of those starts.

Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon will turn to Chris Archer as his starter on Saturday.

With David Price traded to Detroit in a blockbuster deal before Thursday's deadline, Archer is now arguably the ace of the Tampa Bay staff. He leads all Rays starters in ERA (3.37), innings pitched (125 2/3) and fielding independent pitching (1.31). However, his record (6-6) does not indicate how strong he has been this season.

The right-hander didn't look all that effective last time he pitched, however, as he allowed three runs on six hits over six innings of work in a 3-2 loss to Boston last Sunday. He allowed exactly six hits in each of his four starts in July, a month in which is ERA was 3.86.

Archer started against the Angels on May 16 of this season as well. In that contest he allowed just two hits over 5 2/3 shutout innings as the Rays captured a 3-0 victory. He is 2-1 with a 3.31 ERA in three career starts against them.

In the first game of this weekend's series the Angels claimed a 5-3 victory. Mike Trout launched his 25th home run of the season and Josh Hamilton, David Freese and Chris Iannetta all contributed two-hit games. Hamilton was hit in the left hand in the seventh inning and was diagnosed with a bruised finger, though, he was not taken out of the game.

Matt Shoemaker earned his ninth win of the season, pitching a pedestrian five innings in which he allowed three runs, two of which were earned. Jason Grilli, Kevin Jepsen, Joe Smith and Huston Street then each pitched a scoreless inning of relief to finish off the game.

Jeremy Hellickson let up four runs and was unable to get past the fifth inning for Tampa Bay. Ben Zobrist and Evan Longoria each doubled and produced two-hit games in the losing effort for the Rays.

Tampa Bay has lost back-to-back games, while the Angels have come out on top in their last two contests.

The Angels took three of four from the Rays in Anaheim from May 15-18.