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Rays-Angels Preview

May 10, 2010 - 1:08 AM By ANTHONY GIORNALISTA STATS Senior Writer

Tampa Bay (22-8) at Los Angeles (14-18), 10:05 p.m. EDT

Matt Garza has the type of talent that could earn him a perfect game one day. But as good as the Tampa Bay Rays ace has been on the road, he may have his hands full at Angel Stadium.

The Rays, who have now been on the losing end of the majors' last two perfect games, send the American League's first five-game winner to the mound as they try to end their road struggles against the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night.

Tampa Bay's usually potent lineup has been slumping, and its last performance was particularly disheartening. The Rays (22-9) lost 4-0 on Sunday, with Oakland's Dallas Braden pitching the 19th perfect game in major league history.

It was the majors' first perfect game since Mark Buehrle and the Chicago White Sox beat Tampa Bay on July 23.

The Rays, second in the AL in runs with 174, were coming off a 4-2 loss to the A's on Saturday night. Tampa Bay is batting .189 over its last nine contests.

With Garza (5-1, 2.09 ERA) on the mound, the Rays hope to avoid their third straight loss as they open this three-game series. Garza has earned five wins faster than any pitcher in Rays history.

The right-hander has won each of his three road starts, posting a 1.13 ERA. He pitched at Seattle on Wednesday night, giving up two runs in eight innings as Tampa Bay won 8-3.

Garza, though, is 0-1 with a 6.46 ERA in three starts versus the Angels (14-19). He lasted 3 1-3 innings in his only road start against Los Angeles, giving up six runs and walking four in an 8-7 loss Aug. 10.

That performance is typical of what Tampa Bay's pitchers have experienced at Angel Stadium. The Angels have won five straight and 23 of their last 26 against the Rays at home, averaging 6.3 runs and hitting .317.

Los Angeles went 4-2 overall against Tampa Bay last season.

"They've beat us badly there for several years," manager Joe Maddon told the Rays' official website. "I've got to get my stuff together."

Los Angeles is opening a six-game homestand following a 2-8 road trip. The Angels went 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position in an 8-1 loss to Seattle on Sunday.

Torii Hunter hopes to be back in the lineup after being held out due to a sore right knee. Manager Mike Scioscia originally planned to use Hunter as the designated hitter Sunday, but instead decided to give him the day off.

"I won't be going on the DL or nothing like that, so don't worry about that," said Hunter, who is batting .361 during a nine-game hitting streak versus Tampa Bay.

Joel Pineiro (2-4, 5.30), set to take the mound for the Angels, hasn't fared too well against the Rays, going 2-4 with a 5.57 ERA in nine starts.

Pineiro has lost his last three outings overall, but was sharp in his last start. He allowed two runs in six innings of a 3-1 loss to Boston on Wednesday night.

The veteran right-hander surrendered 16 runs over his previous two starts.