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Tigers-Angels Preview

Apr 21, 2010 - 7:00 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Detroit (7-7) at Los Angeles (8-7), 10:05 p.m. EDT

It appears the Los Angeles Angels have overcome a rough start to their season.

Back over .500, the Angels look to extend their winning streak to six games Wednesday night against the visiting Detroit Tigers.

After losing six of its first eight, Los Angeles (8-7) has won five in a row and six of seven to surpass the .500 mark for the first time since winning its season opener.

The Angels broke out early Tuesday, scoring six runs in the first five innings then holding on for a 6-5 win over Detroit (7-7), which has dropped the first two in the four-game set and five of six overall.

Howie Kendrick drove in three runs, and Hideki Matsui had two RBIs for the Angels, who have scored 24 runs during their five-game winning streak.

"We're going out and putting up runs," said Kendrick, who's batting .340 this season, and is 6 for 12 with seven RBIs in his last four games against Detroit. "We're trying to do everything we can to keep it going."

Matsui has helped the Angels keep winning by going 7 for 19 with five RBIs in his last six games.

Los Angeles will look for another strong start from Jered Weaver (2-0, 2.48 ERA) when he takes the ball in this contest.

Coming off a career-high 16 wins last season, Weaver is making a case to claim the role of staff ace after John Lackey signed with Boston. He allowed two runs and struck out eight in seven innings of a 7-5 win at Toronto on Friday.

"My arm feels good, everything feels good," said Weaver, who has struck out 21 and walked three in three starts this season.

The right-hander, however, is 2-2 with a 7.36 ERA against the Tigers.

Los Angeles' Fernando Rodney, who spent the last seven seasons with Detroit, has saved the first two games of this series against his former team. He's converted all five save chances while filling in for injured closer Brian Fuentes (back strain), who will be activated from the disabled list Wednesday.

Miguel Cabrera had three RBIs and Austin Jackson recorded his rookie-leading 19th hit Tuesday for the Tigers, who rallied from a 6-0 deficit but fell to 1-4 on a season-high 11-game road trip.

Cabrera is batting .364 with 17 RBIs this season, and has gone 10 for 23 with 10 RBIs in his last five games versus the Angels.

The Tigers hope Jeremy Bonderman (1-1, 9.00) can bounce back from a rough outing when gets the start Wednesday.

He allowed 10 runs and walked four in four innings of an 11-3 loss at Seattle on Friday. It was the most runs he had allowed since the Angels scored 11 off him July 29, 2007.

The right-hander is 3-3 with a 4.67 ERA against the Angels.