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Athletics-Angels Preview

May 14, 2010 - 12:45 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Oakland (18-16) at Los Angeles (15-21), 10:05 p.m. EDT

Less than a week after making history, Oakland's Dallas Braden is focused on his next challenge.

Braden takes the mound for the first time since pitching the club's first perfect game in 42 years as the Athletics open a road series with the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night.

Pitching on Mother's Day with his grandmother present, Braden (4-2, 3.33 ERA) threw 109 pitches in a 4-0 home win over Tampa Bay to record the 19th perfect game in major league history and first since Chicago's Mark Buehrle stymied the Rays on July 23.

Braden's no-hitter was the sixth in Oakland history, and first perfect game since Hall of Famer Jim "Catfish" Hunter tossed one May 8, 1968.

Despite etching a place in baseball history, the 26-year-old left-hander hopes that's not the end of his success.

"I'd like to have a career more than (Sunday)," said Braden, who had allowed nine runs in his previous two starts. "You have to move on, have a quick memory, good, bad or indifferent, no matter what.

"Got to go pitch against the Angels. That's what I'm thinking about."

The last five pitchers to throw a perfect game are 2-2 with a 4.85 ERA in their next start.

Braden is 2-3 with a 4.64 ERA in six starts against the Angels (15-21), but earned a victory after giving up three runs in six innings of a 9-4 win on April 11 in Anaheim.

"He throws all his pitches for strikes," Los Angeles catcher Mike Napoli told the Angels' official website. "He works both sides of the plate. You can be effective that way. Nobody can sit on anything."

Braden will look to help the A's (18-17) avoid a third straight loss when they return to Anaheim after taking two of three from the Angels last month.

Oakland scored 22 runs in that set, but managed two total in losing its last two games at Texas. The A's had just seven hits in a 2-1, 12-inning loss to the Rangers on Thursday.

Jake Fox had three hits and Kevin Kouzmanoff added two in the finale. Kouzmanoff is hitting .333 in his last 10 games, and is 4 for 12 with a homer versus the Angels this season.

Oakland has a chance to get its offense going again while facing Joe Saunders (1-5, 6.19) on Friday.

The Angels left-hander allowed four runs in six innings in the loss to Braden and Athletics last month, and is 9-4 with a 4.13 ERA against Oakland.

After losing seven games in each of his last two seasons, Saunders now looks to avoid his fourth straight defeat. He gave up three runs - one earned - in 5 2-3 innings of a 4-3, 10-inning win over Seattle on Saturday.

"I think Joe definitely took a step forward," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.

The Angels look to bounce back after losing the final two of a three-game home set with Tampa Bay this week. Los Angeles, which has won five of the last six AL West titles, is a disappointing 9-11 at home in 2010.

Howie Kendrick went 6 for 11 in the Rays' series, but was 2 for 10 against the A's in April. He's 3 for 15 all-time versus Braden.