Final/10
Angels-Athletics Preview
Jul 19, 2009 - 2:24 AM By KATE HEDLIN STATS WriterLos Angeles (50-38) at Oakland (38-50), 4:05 p.m. EDT
Despite playing without two of their top sluggers and losing another in their last game, the Los Angeles Angels don't seem to be fazed as they continue to get contributions from others in their lineup.
Looking to continue their tear at the plate, the short-handed Angels close a four-game series against the Oakland Athletics on Sunday.
Los Angeles (51-38) has won five of six despite missing Torii Hunter (adductor strain) and Vladimir Guerrero (strained knee), who both went on the disabled list on July 10. The Angels are coming off an 11-6 win on Saturday in which they lost Juan Rivera in the third inning because of tightness in his right leg.
The left fielder, who is batting .309 with 16 home runs, may not play in the finale.
Those absences didn't seem to affect Los Angeles on Saturday. Erick Aybar, who left Friday's 7-3 loss with dizziness, had a pair of two-run singles and Gary Matthews Jr. tallied three of Los Angeles' 14 hits.
"We keep putting pressure on," said Chone Figgins, who chipped in with two hits and tied his career high by scoring three runs. "We keep having good at-bats and getting people on base.
"We're not one of those teams that hits lots of homers. We hit line drives. ... If we can keep that train going, we're still going to score some runs."
They also were helped Saturday by Oakland's four errors which led to four unearned runs.
"It was one of our worst games of the year," A's manager Bob Geren said. "It was all really early. We (made) a couple weeks' worth of mistakes - all, it seemed like, in one inning. They were all different styles and types. It was a very poor performance."
Geren's team has dropped 13 of 20 and is near the bottom of the AL in hits (747), home runs (73) and batting average (.246).
The A's (38-51) may have an even tougher time at the plate against John Lackey (4-4, 4.93 ERA), who looks to build off one of his best starts of the season.
Lackey pitched seven innings against the New York Yankees last Sunday, allowing two runs and six hits while striking out six in the 5-3 victory. He had given up six runs and nine hits over 4 2-3 innings against Texas in his previous outing.
Lackey is 14-4 with a 2.80 ERA in 26 starts against the Athletics. He's won four of his last five outings against them.
Brett Anderson (5-7, 4.64) looks to extend a 13-inning scoreless streak when he returns to the mound for Oakland after leaving his last start early because of back stiffness.
The 21-year-old Anderson gave up three hits in four innings against Tampa Bay last Sunday before exiting. Geren wasn't too concerned about the back issue and figured the extra rest during the All-Star break should clear things up.
The left-hander is 2-0 with a 1.54 ERA in his last four outings.
The rookie gave up five runs and nine hits in 4 2-3 innings of a 5-2 loss to the Angels on May 4. Mike Napoli had three hits, including two doubles, off Anderson.
- ** CONFIRMED **
AL
LA ANGELS 1
OAKLAND 0 FINAL
Jul 19 6:29 PM - AL
AT OAKLAND - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY BOBBY ABREU (7) TO RIGHT CENTER WITH 1 OUT
IN THE 10TH OFF ANDREW BAILEY.
CURRENT SCORE: LA ANGELS 1, OAKLAND 0
DUE UP FOR LA ANGELS: M NAPOLI (.291, 0-FOR-3)
Angels 1, Athletics 0 Top 10, 0 OutsJul 19 6:09 PM - ** CONFIRMED **
AL
LA ANGELS 0
OAKLAND 0 FINAL
Jul 19 5:36 PM - 188
roots - 152
roots - 117
roots - 82
roots - 47
roots
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