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Angels-Diamondbacks Preview

Jun 27, 2009 - 7:02 AM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

Los Angeles (39-32) at Arizona (30-44), 4:10 p.m. EDT

The Los Angeles Angels have just two games left to shine against the NL.

They'll try to improve upon the best interleague record in baseball Saturday when they continue their weekend road series against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Los Angeles (39-32) improved to 12-4 in interleague play with a 12-3 win Friday. The Angels scored eight runs in the second inning as Torii Hunter capped the outburst with a two-run homer.

Friday's 11-hit effort marked the eighth time the Angels have had at least 10 hits in an interleague contest this year. They are batting .304 with 25 homers and 104 runs - second in the majors to Tampa Bay - in interleague play.

Shortstop Maicer Izturis had two hits Friday, and is hitting .333 (14 for 42) versus the NL this year. Juan Rivera has also fared well in interleague games, going 22 for 65 (.338) with six homers and 15 RBIs after a two-hit night against the Diamondbacks.

"You still have to play good baseball," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "It's not like one league is from Venus and one is from Mars. We've just been able to play well at times without a DH in the lineup."

The Angels have won 10 of 13 games overall and remained one-half game behind first-place Texas in the AL West.

Arizona (30-44), meanwhile, has lost three straight and nine of 12 overall. The Diamondbacks have the second-worst record in the NL.

"You have to try to shake off the bad days," Arizona first baseman Tony Clark said. "It's the little things we have to do we have to pitch it, we have to hit it, and we have to catch it, especially against the good teams. They don't give you much of a margin for error."

The Diamondbacks will get their first look at John Lackey (2-3, 5.83 ERA), who will start for the Angels after his interleague winning streak was snapped at seven on Sunday. He allowed four runs over eight innings in a 5-3 loss to the Dodgers after going 7-0 with a 2.54 ERA in his previous nine outings against the NL.

"They manufactured a couple of runs on me, other than the homer, but I felt like I was throwing the ball good," Lackey said. "It was a tough game."

The right-hander missed the first six weeks of the season with elbow inflammation.

The Diamondbacks are 4-11 when Doug Davis (3-8, 3.53) starts this year. Davis is 0-2 with a 4.32 ERA in his last three outings after allowing one run over seven innings in a 3-2 loss at Seattle on Sunday.

"He certainly deserves a better record," manager A.J. Hinch told the Diamondbacks' official Web site. "One of the positives of 3-8 is that it means he's been in for a lot of decisions and he's been pitching late into games."

The veteran left-hander is facing the Angels for the first time since 2003. Davis is 3-2 with a 4.65 ERA in six career starts against them.

Rivera is hitting .426 (23 for 54) with six doubles and six home runs against left-handers, and is 4 for 8 in his career versus Davis.