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Blue Jays-Angels Preview

Aug 15, 2010 - 5:40 AM By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer

Toronto (61-55) at Los Angeles (60-58), 3:35 p.m. EDT

After signing a lengthy contract extension Saturday, Ricky Romero will try to reward the Toronto Blue Jays by winning for the first time in his native Los Angeles.

Romero also will try to earn his third consecutive victory when the Blue Jays wrap up a three-game series against the Angels on Sunday.

Toronto general manager Alex Anthopoulos locked up Romero (9-7, 3.53 ERA) until 2015 with a $30.1 million contract Saturday. The deal includes a club option for 2016, which would increase the value of the second-year starter's contract to $43 million.

"It hasn't sunk in yet, but it isn't going to change me as a person," Romero said. "I'm still going to be the same humble guy that I've always been. Like I've said many times, I grew up with a dream to one day put on a big league uniform and pitch in a big league ballpark. So this is definitely not going to change me one bit."

Romero, who was 13-9 as a rookie, is 3-1 with a 2.95 ERA in his last five starts but gave up five runs over six innings Tuesday night against Boston. He escaped without a decision in a 7-5 defeat.

Romero, who was born in Los Angeles and played at Cal State Fullerton, had a forgettable first homecoming May 25 as he was tagged for seven runs and a career high-tying 11 hits over 5 1-3 innings of an 8-3 loss. The left-hander was 1-1 with a 1.93 ERA in his previous two starts against the Angels.

This time, he'll be matched up with another California native in Dan Haren (1-2, 3.00 ERA), who will attempt to earn his second victory since snapping a career-worst 10-game winless streak.

Haren, acquired in a July 25 trade with Arizona, was masterful Tuesday night against Kansas City in allowing one run, five hits and one walk over seven innings in a 3-1 win.

"You kind of forget how to win a game at some point. It's kind of like a home run hitter. Home runs go in bunches," Haren told the team's official website. "I knew I'd win eventually."

Haren is 5-0 in his last six starts against the Blue Jays despite a 5.85 ERA.

After a 4-12 stretch, the Angels (60-58) won for the sixth time in eight games Saturday with a 7-2 victory. Against the majors' top home run-hitting team, Los Angeles pulled away early with two homers from Bobby Wilson and another from Hideki Matsui, who finished with a season-high four hits.

Bobby Abreu went 2 for 3 to improve his average to .400 (12 for 30) since moving to the leadoff spot Aug. 6.

Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista, meanwhile, will have one last attempt to homer in his 12th consecutive series, the longest streak since Ryan Howard went deep over 13 in a row in 2006. The outfielder, who has 16 of his major league-leading 36 homers since July 2, is 1 for 7 in this series and went 1 for 4 with a solo home run against Haren on May 21.

Toronto (61-55) hasn't won a road series over the Angels since May 16-18, 2006.