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Athletics-Angels Preview

Apr 9, 2010 - 7:17 AM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

Oakland (3-1) at Los Angeles (1-3), 10:05 p.m. EDT

One year ago, Nick Adenhart lost his life in a car accident. The stunned Los Angeles Angels used his memory as inspiration to reach the AL championship series.

They'll be reminded of the loss Friday night.

On the anniversary of Adenhart's death, the Angels will try to honor their fallen teammate and end a three-game losing streak when they host the Oakland Athletics.

Adenhart was superb in six scoreless innings of a 6-4 loss to the Athletics at Angel Stadium on April 8, 2009. The 22-year-old right-hander would never get a chance to build on that, dying from injuries later that night in a car accident that also cost the lives of two friends.

"The shock ... I don't think you ever get over the shock," right-hander Jered Weaver told the team's official Web site. "Any time you bring it up, it's there.

"Losing Nick, that was the painful thing to deal with. You never think you're going to have to deal with anything like that."

The Angels (1-3) honored Adenhart throughout the season and his No. 34 was displayed on the outfield wall as a reminder of a promising career cut tragically short.

The team would regroup emotionally, and finished 97-65 to win a third consecutive division title before losing in six games to the New York Yankees in the AL championship series.

The scene may be all too familiar Friday, as the A's (3-1) visit for the opener of a three-game set.

An emotional night could inspire the Angels again after losing a third game in a row Thursday, falling 10-1 to Minnesota.

Matt Palmer (0-0, 0.00 ERA) gets his first start of the season after allowing one hit in two innings of relief during Tuesday's 5-3 loss.

The right-hander is making a spot start with Scott Kazmir on the disabled list with a strained right hamstring.

Palmer went 11-2 with a 3.93 ERA in 40 games - 13 starts - last season. He was very effective in eight home starts, going 6-1 with a 3.75 ERA.

Palmer is 0-0 with a 3.86 ERA in five relief outings against the A's.

Los Angeles took 12 of 19 meetings with Oakland last year.

The A's, who finished 22 games behind the Angels in last place in 2009, are looking to extend their winning streak to four games. They managed only two winning streaks of four games or more last season.

Oakland's early season success continued with Thursday's 6-2 win over the Mariners.

"We're playing good," said second baseman Mark Ellis, who is 7 for 14 during the winning streak. "It's the way we're going to play, battle back, don't quit. It's a fun team."

Gio Gonzalez will try to extend the A's streak. He's starting a season in the majors for the first time, while looking to prove he belongs in the A's rotation after being named the fifth starter due to a strong spring training.

The left-hander went 1-2 with a 2.96 ERA in six preseason games, and an injury to Trevor Cahill cemented his place.

Gonzalez went 6-7 with a 5.75 ERA and was second on the team with 109 strikeouts in 20 games last season after being recalled from the minors in May. He went 1-1 with a 4.70 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 15 1-3 innings in three starts versus Anaheim last year. Gonzalez took the loss in his only start in Anaheim, allowing four runs while striking out 10 in six innings of a 5-2 defeat Oct. 2.