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Royals-Angels Preview

Jul 3, 2010 - 7:06 AM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

Kansas City (35-45) at Los Angeles (45-37), 9:05 p.m. EDT

Ending a season-high homestand with a series against the Kansas City Royals may have appeared to be an ideal opportunity for the Los Angeles Angels gain ground in the AL West. A late-game hiccup, however, already cost them one such chance.

The Angels will try to get their offense going against the surging Royals in the middle game of this set Saturday night.

Los Angeles (45-37) entered Friday 6-3 on its 12-game homestand and had just taken two of three from division-leading Texas before facing the Royals (35-45), one of the worst teams in the league.

The Angels were one strike away from continuing their surge and gaining on Texas in the division, but gave up a run in the ninth before the Royals' Willie Bloomquist connected for an RBI single to hand Los Angeles a 2-1, 10-inning defeat.

The loss kept Los Angeles and its sputtering offense four games behind Texas in the West.

The Angels have totaled seven runs in their last three games and are batting .245 during their homestand. By comparison, they batted .281 in winning 18 of their previous 25.

Bobby Abreu is one of the Angels struggling at the plate. The right fielder is mired in a 6 for 34 slump over the last nine games after hitting .393 in the previous eight.

Ervin Santana (8-5, 3.92 ERA) takes the mound for the Angels looking to win a third consecutive start.

The right-hander is 2-0 with a 3.95 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 13 2-3 innings over his last two games after losing his previous two with a 9.00 ERA.

Santana turned in another solid outing Sunday, matching his win total from last year while yielding three runs with seven strikeouts in 6 2-3 innings of a 10-3 victory over Colorado.

He's 3-1 with a 3.25 ERA in four starts against the Royals, including a 7-1 win May 31 when he allowed one run in seven innings.

Kansas City has put together a strong stretch, winning six of eight behind a .311 team batting average and 2.47 ERA from the pitching staff.

Mike Aviles has been hot with a .382 average, seven RBIs and nine runs in 14 games. The second baseman came up big Friday with an RBI double off closer Brian Fuentes in the ninth to force extra innings.

"In that situation, I'm just sitting fastball, basically," said Aviles about his second double of the game. "He's a pitcher who throws a little funky. So if you're sitting on anything else, he can sneak the fastball by you. And I was fortunate enough to get the heater."

Aviles is hitting .344 with 17 runs on the road.

The Royals turn to Bruce Chen (4-2, 3.92) as he tries to show some improved control. The left-hander labored through his most recent outing Sunday, allowing two runs and two hits with four walks and a hit batter while throwing 105 pitches in five innings of a 10-3 win over St. Louis.

Chen is 3-2 with a 4.22 ERA in six starts since joining the rotation, and he's 0-1 behind a 3.65 ERA in four games - two starts - against Los Angeles.