Angels 2 - 0 Tigers
Final
  for this game

Angels-Tigers Preview

Aug 27, 2015 - 4:38 AM Randy Wolf is searching for his big-league stuff from long ago, while Matt Shoemaker would like to rediscover the mojo that left him more recently.

It might be best if they found what they're looking for in Thursday's series finale between the Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Angels if either side hopes to revive its postseason hopes.

The Angels (64-62) have dropped 22 of their last 32 to fall from atop the AL West to a game back of the second wild-card spot. Wednesday's 5-0 loss in Detroit was the their fifth in six games, a stretch that included dugout tirades from Huston Street and Jered Weaver and a team meeting from manager Mike Scioscia.

Chris Iannetta's leadoff double in the ninth inning Wednesday broke up Justin Verlander's no-hitter, but Los Angeles still failed to score three runs for the 12th time this month. A frustrating August has seen the Angels score the fewest runs per game (3.04) in the AL while allowing the second most (5.29).

Shoemaker (5-9, 4.76 ERA) has been as disappointing as anyone of late.

The right-hander was the runner-up in last year's AL rookie of the year voting but still hasn't gained traction in 2015 - a low-point coming with his demotion to Triple-A Salt Lake last week.

He struggled to a 4-7 record and 4.85 ERA through mid-July, found himself briefly with 19 scoreless innings over three starts, and then was optioned to Salt Lake after allowing 13 runs and 16 hits in 7 1-3 innings between his last two big-league outings.

Shoemaker will jump back into the rotation, though, after allowing two hits and three unearned runs in six innings in his lone Triple-A start on Saturday.

"He really pitched well in his one rehab start, not just line-score-wise, but the evaluation of how he pitched from all the guys who saw him pitch," Scioscia told MLB's official website.

Shoemaker, who's 1-0 with a 0.73 ERA in two career starts against Detroit, will try for his first win since July 21.

Wolf, meanwhile, will go for his first victory since June 2, 2014.

The Tigers (60-66) acquired Wolf in a minor league deal from Toronto last week. He made his first major league start in more than a year on Saturday, a 5-3 loss to Texas that saw some good and bad for the 39-year-old left-hander.

The Rangers started with eight singles from their first 14 batters and jumped ahead with a four-run third inning. But Wolf retired 14 of the final 15 he faced, lasting seven innings for the first time since Aug. 19, 2012.

"He gave up the four runs, but with the exception of I think two hits up to that point, they were all (on) ground balls," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus told MLB's official website. "If they were at people, it probably would've been a different story."

Wolf, who will try to help the Tigers win for just the second time in their last seven games, has not faced the Angels since 2010.

Albert Pujols has hit .286 in 42 at-bats off Wolf, connecting for three of his 554 career homers.






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