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Angels-Dodgers Preview

Jun 12, 2010 - 6:39 AM By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer

Los Angeles (33-30) at Los Angeles (36-24), 10:10 p.m. EDT

The Los Angeles Dodgers have been one of the NL's most successful home teams in recent seasons, but that success hasn't extended to interleague play.

The Los Angeles Angels are one of the AL teams that has found ways to win consistently at Dodger Stadium.

If Scott Kazmir can deliver another impressive outing away from home Saturday night, the Angels could take clinch their third series win in their last four visits to Chavez Ravine as they continue their Freeway Series with the Dodgers.

The Dodgers (36-25) have a .592 winning percentage at home since the start of 2007, trailing only Colorado's (.593) among NL clubs. However, they're 12-16 in interleague play at home over that same span and have dropped six of their last nine home meetings with the Angels (34-30), including Friday night's 10-1 rout.

Torii Hunter and Hideki Matsui each drove in three runs for the Angels in support of Joel Pineiro's complete game, snapping the Dodgers' overall four-game home winning streak. Matsui's bases-clearing double gave him nine RBIs in his last eight games He's also batting .386 this month, helping the Angels to a 9-3 mark on their season-high 14-game trip.

"That's a great ballgame against a team scoring a lot of runs," Angels manager and former Dodgers catcher Mike Scioscia said.

The Angels, who have outscored opponents 72-40 on the trip, moved within one-half game of first-place Texas in the AL West.

Thanks to Kazmir, they briefly claimed sole possession of the division lead earlier this week. The left-hander improved to 3-0 with a 2.37 ERA in his last three road starts, allowing one run over 6 1-3 innings of Monday's 4-2 victory at Oakland.

"That was exciting to watch," manager Mike Scioscia told the Angels' official website. "I think some of the best stuff we've seen from Kaz in a while."

Kazmir, who has never won four straight outings away from home, did not get a decision in his only start against the Dodgers, a 4-3 Tampa Bay home win June 23, 2007, when he yielded three runs over six innings.

Dodgers slugger Manny Ramirez, who went 0 for 4 with a strikeout Friday, is 7 for 44 with 14 strikeouts versus Kazmir. The .159 average is Ramirez's lowest against any pitcher he's faced at least 25 times.

Dodgers rookie John Ely (3-2, 3.00) will try to get back on track after his string of strong starts came to an end.

The right-hander had allowed two runs or fewer in six consecutive outings until giving up four over five innings Sunday against Atlanta. He also yielded a career-worst nine hits and two walks before his teammates rallied for a 5-4 win in 11 innings.

"He was off a little bit, and a lot of his pitchers were elevated and didn't stay down," manager Joe Torre told the Dodgers' website.

Despite Friday's defeat, the Dodgers are 23-11 at home this season and have dropped consecutive games at Dodger Stadium just once, May 4 and 5 against Milwaukee.

The Angels and Dodgers are both 2-2 in interleague play this season.