Final
Angels-Twins Preview
Aug 2, 2009 - 5:16 AM By KATE HEDLIN STATS WriterLos Angeles (61-40) at Minnesota (52-51), 2:10 p.m. EDT
Jered Weaver didn't pitch his best in July, but thanks to the Los Angeles Angels offense, it didn't matter much.
The hot-hitting Angels look to win Weaver's sixth straight start Sunday and complete a three-game sweep of the Minnesota Twins at the Metrodome for the first time in more than nine years.
Los Angeles (62-40) is batting .363 during a four-game winning streak and has won 12 of 14 since July 18 to take over the AL's best record.
The Angels have averaged 7.6 runs in their last 14 games, including an 11-5 win in 12 innings in Friday's series opener and an 11-6 victory Saturday. They had 37 hits in those two wins, including home runs from Kendry Morales, Maicer Izturis and Juan Rivera in the sixth inning Saturday.
"The way we're swinging the bats right now, I mean, who wouldn't want to pitch?" said Joe Saunders, who won for the first time since June 24. "We're on fire right now at the plate, hitters have a lot of confidence right now and we're dangerous."
Los Angeles might need another big performance by their bats to help support Weaver (10-3, 3.71 ERA), who gave up at least four runs in all six of his starts in July.
Weaver didn't lose any of those games, in part because his offense totaled 54 runs, and Los Angeles won the last five. He didn't earn a victory in the last three, posting a 7.47 ERA.
The right-hander gave up four runs and eight hits over five innings of a 7-6 win over Cleveland on Tuesday. Five days earlier, Weaver allowed four runs over seven innings in a 6-5, 10-inning win over the Twins.
He is 2-1 with a 3.12 ERA in five starts against Minnesota, but he's 0-1 in two starts at the Metrodome.
The Angels haven't pulled off a three-game sweep there since May 23-25, 2000. They were swept in a three-game set in Minneapolis from April 17-19.
Bobby Abreu is 4 for 9 with five RBIs in this series and is hitting .444 (8 for 18) at the Metrodome this season.
Minnesota (52-52) has been swept in a three-game home series once this season - to the New York Yankees from July 7-9. The Twins followed that series by winning five of six home games before losses the last two days dropped them three behind AL Central-leading Detroit.
One positive from Saturday for Minnesota was Orlando Cabrera had two hits, including an RBI single, in his first game since being acquired from Oakland on Friday.
"It was a good start for Cabrera," manager Ron Gardenhire said. "That's what we want to see from him. He was shooting the ball the other way and hitting the ball well."
Minnesota will hand the ball to Glen Perkins (6-6, 5.42), who won for the fourth time in six starts Monday despite allowing two home runs. He gave up three runs in seven innings of a 4-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox.
The left-hander allowed one run and four hits in eight innings of a 3-1 win over the Angels on April 19 for his second victory in as many tries against Los Angeles. He pitched eight scoreless innings in the other outing.
Joe Mauer, who went 0 for 5 Saturday, is 5 for 12 with two doubles against Weaver.
- ** CONFIRMED **
AL
LA ANGELS 13
MINNESOTA 4 FINAL
Aug 2 5:28 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
THREE-RUN HOME RUN BY KENDRY MORALES (23) TO LEFT WITH 1 OUT
IN THE 8TH OFF JOSE MIJARES SCORED BOBBY ABREU AND ERICK
AYBAR.
CURRENT SCORE: LA ANGELS 13, MINNESOTA 4
DUE UP FOR LA ANGELS: H KENDRICK (.270, 1-FOR-4)
Angels 13, Twins 4 Top 8, 0 OutsAug 2 4:48 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
SACRIFICE FLY BY JUAN RIVERA SCORED CHONE FIGGINS
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, B ABREU ON FIRST, E AYBAR ON THIRD, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: LA ANGELS 10
MINNESOTA 4 TOP,8TH
DUE UP FOR LA ANGELS: K MORALES (.297, 2-FOR-4, HR, 3 RBI)
Angels 10, Twins 4 Top 8, 0 OutsAug 2 4:47 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY BRENDAN HARRIS SCORED JASON KUBEL
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, B HARRIS ON FIRST, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: LA ANGELS 9
MINNESOTA 4 BOTTOM,7TH
DUE UP FOR MINNESOTA: C GOMEZ (.232, 0-FOR-2)
Angels 9, Twins 4 Bot 7, 0 OutsAug 2 4:31 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY JUSTIN MORNEAU (28) TO CENTER WITH 0 OUT IN
THE 7TH OFF JERED WEAVER.
CURRENT SCORE: LA ANGELS 9, MINNESOTA 3
DUE UP FOR MINNESOTA: J KUBEL (.300, 0-FOR-2)
Angels 9, Twins 3 Bot 7, 0 OutsAug 2 4:23 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
ERROR BY ORLANDO CABRERA ALLOWED GARY MATTHEWS JR. TO
SCORE.
SITUATION: 5 RUNS IN, E AYBAR ON FIRST, C FIGGINS ON SECOND, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: LA ANGELS 9
MINNESOTA 2 TOP,5TH
DUE UP FOR LA ANGELS: B ABREU (.323, 2-FOR-3)
Angels 9, Twins 2 Top 5, 0 OutsAug 2 3:47 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
THREE-RUN HOME RUN BY KENDRY MORALES (22) TO RIGHT WITH 0
OUT IN THE 5TH OFF GLEN PERKINS SCORED JUAN RIVERA AND BOBBY
ABREU.
CURRENT SCORE: LA ANGELS 7, MINNESOTA 2
DUE UP FOR LA ANGELS: H KENDRICK (.268, 0-FOR-2)
Angels 7, Twins 2 Top 5, 0 OutsAug 2 3:29 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY ORLANDO CABRERA (5) TO LEFT WITH 0 OUT IN
THE 4TH OFF JERED WEAVER.
CURRENT SCORE: LA ANGELS 4, MINNESOTA 2
DUE UP FOR MINNESOTA: J MAUER (.355, 1-FOR-1, RBI)
Angels 4, Twins 2 Bot 4, 0 OutsAug 2 3:18 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
SACRIFICE FLY BY SEAN RODRIGUEZ SCORED GARY MATTHEWS JR.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, J MATHIS ON FIRST, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: LA ANGELS 4
MINNESOTA 1 TOP,4TH
DUE UP FOR LA ANGELS: C FIGGINS (.312, 0-FOR-2)
Angels 4, Twins 1 Top 4, 0 OutsAug 2 3:11 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY SEAN RODRIGUEZ (2) TO CENTER WITH 1 OUT
IN THE 2ND OFF GLEN PERKINS SCORED JEFF MATHIS.
CURRENT SCORE: LA ANGELS 3, MINNESOTA 1
DUE UP FOR LA ANGELS: C FIGGINS (.312, 0-FOR-1)
Angels 3, Twins 1 Top 2, 0 OutsAug 2 2:43 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY JOE MAUER SCORED DENARD SPAN
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, J MAUER ON FIRST, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: LA ANGELS 1
MINNESOTA 1 BOTTOM,1ST
DUE UP FOR MINNESOTA: J MORNEAU (.309, 27 HR, 85 RBI)
Angels 1, Twins 1 Bot 1, 0 OutsAug 2 2:31 PM - AL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
LA ANGELS 1 1 3 0
MINNESOTA 0 0 0 (BOT 1)
CURRENT PITCHERS: LAA - JERED WEAVER
MIN - GLEN PERKINS
DUE UP FOR MINNESOTA: D SPAN (.291, 6 HR, 38 RBI)
O CABRERA (.282, 4 HR, 42 RBI)
J MAUER (.353, 18 HR, 58 RBI)
Angels 1, Twins 0 Bot 1, 0 OutsAug 2 2:20 PM
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