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Angels-Rangers Preview

May 18, 2010 - 5:20 AM By BRETT HUSTON STATS Writer

Los Angeles (18-21) at Texas (20-18), 8:05 p.m. EDT

If there were any lingering questions about C.J. Wilson's second stint as a major league starter, they're quickly disappearing.

Wilson's transition from Texas' bullpen to the unlikely star of the rotation couldn't be going much better, and he'll try to lower one of baseball's best ERAs as the Rangers look to complete a two-game sweep of the visiting Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday night.

Wilson (3-1, 1.48 ERA) failed as a starter upon arriving in the majors in 2005, but the left-hander was solid out of the bullpen the past few years with the Rangers (21-18).

Now, he's one of the biggest reasons Texas has a two-game edge on Oakland atop the NL West. Wilson has allowed one run or fewer in five of his seven starts, including the past three.

"I'm just really filling out the job description, that's it," said Wilson, who was 0-5 with a 12.05 ERA in six starts coming into the season. "There's no magic formula to like transitioning from one thing to the other or anything like that. It's not mystical in any sense."

The Rangers have won Wilson's last five starts, posting a 2-1, 12-inning victory against the Athletics on Thursday. Wilson gave up one run and four hits over seven innings, and extended his streak without allowing a homer to a team-record 69 1-3 innings.

It was also his seventh consecutive quality start to begin a season, something no other Ranger has done.

"He had eight pitches last year, but he could only use a couple out of the bullpen," manager Ron Washington said. "Now he gets a chance to use his pitches more. As a closer, it was more aggressiveness. Now he can show everything. ... As a starter, he can really use his brains now."

Wilson had three saves and a 0.79 ERA in 12 appearances against the Angels (18-22) from 2008-09.

He doesn't have to worry about facing Vladimir Guerrero anymore, and the Rangers are certainly thankful for that. The eight-time All-Star, who leads Texas with 31 RBIs, had two hits Monday in his first game against his former team since he wasn't re-signed.

"I don't need to show anything to anybody," Guerrero said after the Rangers' 4-3 victory. "I always feel I've done my job my whole career."

The Angels have dropped nine of 11 on the road and are 3-7 in Arlington since the beginning of last season.

"We need to go into a visiting ballpark and make that field yours, and we're not doing that this year," manager Mike Scioscia said. "We're not doing the things we need to do on a consistent basis. Tonight we let some things get through the cracks and we've got to tighten some things up."

Scioscia will have his top starter on the mound to try to reverse the road woes. Jered Weaver (4-2, 2.47) has allowed two earned runs or fewer in six of eight starts, though he was done in by his defense in a 4-3 loss to Tampa Bay on Wednesday.

The right-hander struck out a career-high 12 over seven innings, but three of the four runs he gave up were unearned thanks to an error and two passed balls.

Weaver was 0-2 with a 6.05 ERA in three road starts against Texas in 2009.

A fatigued Josh Hamilton, 5 for 15 in his career versus Weaver, could return after a night off, as could Bobby Abreu. The Angels' right fielder was not in the starting lineup Monday due to back stiffness, but he pinch hit and struck out to end the game.