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Angels-Giants Preview

Jun 15, 2009 - 1:11 AM By ANTHONY GIORNALISTA STATS Senior Writer

Los Angeles (31-29) at San Francisco (33-28), 10:15 p.m. EDT

An inside-the-park homer helped spark the San Francisco Giants' latest victory. The Los Angeles Angels, meanwhile, have been connecting in much more typical fashion.

With both teams coming off sweeps, the Giants look to shut down a red-hot Angels lineup in the opener of a three-game interleague series Monday night.

San Francisco's strong play in recent weeks has it hopeful of contending for its first postseason appearance in six years. The Giants (34-28) have won 14 of their last 19, posting a 2.60 ERA during that span.

Pitching has been a strength for San Francisco all season, but it's finally starting to get some production at the plate.

Nate Schierholtz hit an inside-the-park three-run homer to lead the Giants to a 7-1 win over Oakland on Sunday for a three-game sweep. San Francisco scored five runs or more for the fourth time in six games.

Schierholtz's inside-the-park homer was the fourth at 10-year-old AT&T Park. Still, the Giants are last in the majors with 34 home runs.

Los Angeles (32-29) has been slightly better in that category, connecting 53 times. The Angels, though, hit nine homers and averaged 8.7 runs in sweeping a three-game series from San Diego.

Juan Rivera homered twice in Los Angeles' 6-0 win over the Padres on Sunday. Rivera's big game came a day after the Angels hit five homers, including three by Torii Hunter.

"That's how we can play, how we swung it in spring training," Angels pitcher Jered Weaver said after throwing his first career shutout Sunday. "Everything's coming together - pitching, at-bats. This is the way we should play the game."

Los Angeles will now face San Francisco's Barry Zito (3-6, 4.09 ERA), who has had trouble keeping the ball in the park in the past but hasn't given up a homer en route to winning his last two outings.

The left-hander won Wednesday night despite pitching five shaky innings, giving up four runs and seven hits in San Francisco's 6-4 victory over Arizona. He got five runs to work with after receiving three or fewer in each of his first 11 starts.

Zito is 12-9 with a 3.55 ERA in 28 starts against the Angels.

Los Angeles will counter with John Lackey (1-2, 6.61), who was terrible in his last start, allowing nine runs and 11 hits in five innings of Los Angeles' 9-5 loss to Tampa Bay on Wednesday night.

"I definitely expect more of myself," said Lackey, who spent the first six weeks of the season on the disabled list with a strained right forearm. "I don't believe in moral victories. You either win or you lose."

The right-hander suffered a loss in his only start versus the Giants, allowing three runs - one earned - and five hits in seven innings during a 3-2 Angels defeat in 2006.

He'll be facing a San Francisco lineup that is coming off one of its most productive games at home this year, winning for the ninth time in 10 games there. Pablo Sandoval had a two-run homer, Andres Torres matched his career high with three hits and the Giants finished 4 for 6 with runners in scoring position.

Sandoval is batting .412 (7 for 17) in interleague play.