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Orioles-Angels Preview

Jul 3, 2009 - 6:11 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Baltimore (35-44) at Los Angeles (43-34), 10:05 p.m. EDT

Not much has gone right in the one month Ervin Santana has pitched for the Los Angeles Angels this season.

The 2008 All-Star hopes things will change Friday night when he's expected to return from the disabled list to face the Baltimore Orioles in the continuation of a four-game set at Angel Stadium.

Sidelined with right triceps inflammation, Santana (1-3, 7.47 ERA) hasn't pitched for Los Angeles since allowing six runs and eight hits in 4 2-3 innings of an 11-1 loss at Tampa Bay on June 11.

Now, after a solid effort against minor league competition Sunday and a productive bullpen session Tuesday, manager Mike Scioscia feels Santana is ready to go.

"We're going to see how he feels," he told the Angels' official Web site. "When you look at your rotation, you definitely want your best out there."

Santana, however, hasn't always been at his best this season. After matching a career high with 16 victories a year ago, the right-hander missed the first month of the season with an elbow injury and also dealt with a strained forearm last month. Those injuries could be a couple of reasons why he's allowed six or more runs in three of his six starts.

Santana is 2-2 with a 4.60 ERA in seven starts versus Baltimore.

Bobby Abreu hit a pair of homers and drove in four runs, and Chone Figgins added three hits with an RBI in Los Angeles' 5-2 win on Thursday to open a 10-game homestand. The AL West-leading Angels (43-34) were coming off consecutive road losses to second-place Texas.

Abreu, who has just six home runs in his first season with Los Angeles after hitting 20 for the New York Yankees last year, recorded his first multihomer game of the year and 14th of his career.

"It's a big night for Bobby," Scioscia said of Abreu, who's batting .345 (10 for 29) with three homers, 10 runs scored and 11 RBIs in his last eight games. "Hopefully he'll start doing it a little more consistently."

Los Angeles, which has won three in a row at home, will try for its fifth straight victory against last-place Baltimore (35-44), which has dropped two in a row overall and four consecutive games on the road. The Orioles are 11-24 away from Camden Yards.

After recording 16 runs and 22 hits in their previous two contests, the Orioles were held to five hits against the Angels' John Lackey and Brian Fuentes in the opener.

"You can't beat yourself up over (the offensive inconsistency)," said Luke Scott, who homered for the second straight game.

Scott has a team-leading 16 home runs and is 5 for 14 (.357) with three doubles and three RBIs in his last four contests.

Rookie David Hernandez (1-2, 4.19) looks to avoid a second straight loss for the Orioles after giving up three runs and eight hits in 5 2-3 innings of a 5-3 defeat to Washington on Sunday.

The right-hander, who was recalled from the minors to replace injured fellow rookie Koji Uehara (elbow tendinitis), will make his fourth career start and first versus the Angels.