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Angels-Athletics Preview

Sep 4, 2010 - 6:14 AM By MIKE LIPKA STATS Editor

Los Angeles (65-69) at Oakland (65-68), 4:10 p.m. EDT

In case Jered Weaver needed another reminder about his team's offensive woes, the Los Angeles Angels were blanked again in their series opener with the Oakland Athletics.

The sputtering Angels also haven't scored a run in their ace's last three starts, a streak Oakland's Trevor Cahill hopes to continue Saturday afternoon.

Los Angeles (65-70) suffered its third shutout loss in six games Friday night, losing 8-0 in Oakland. The Angels have totaled 11 runs while losing five of seven, batting .177 in that stretch.

Among the slumping bats are Bobby Abreu, who is 2 for 30 with 14 strikeouts in his last nine games, and Torii Hunter, who has no RBIs in his last 79 at-bats over 21 contests. Hunter is 1 for 18 with men in scoring position in that stretch.

"There's not just one thing that's going to get everybody going," manager Mike Scioscia said. "Some guys are having good at-bats and some guys are struggling with some things. There's been a lot of inconsistency in our offense up to this point."

Weaver (11-10, 3.12 ERA) has certainly felt the effects, going 0-3 in his last four starts primarily because the Angels have scored one run for him in that span - none in his last 24 innings.

The right-hander was brilliant Sunday against Baltimore, striking out 11 in eight innings, but he allowed a seventh-inning sacrifice fly to Matt Wieters as Los Angeles lost 1-0.

"Any time you go out there and you're worried about giving up a solo home run that might be the difference in the game, it's never a good feeling to pitch like that," Weaver said. "But you just go out there and keep battling, try to pitch your game and try to keep us in it."

It has been a breakout season for Weaver, whose career-best 200 strikeouts are tied for the major league lead with Seattle's Felix Hernandez.

But Los Angeles' offensive struggles are a major stumble for a team that ranked second in the majors in runs in 2009 while winning a third consecutive AL West title. This year, the Angels are in third place, 10 1/2 games behind Texas.

They also trail Oakland (66-68), which lowered its AL-best ERA to 3.54 on Friday, bouncing back after a four-game sweep at Yankee Stadium.

Cahill (14-6, 2.82) had his worst start of the year in the Bronx, tarnishing his Cy Young Award candidacy by lasting a season-low four-plus innings while allowing a season-high eight earned runs in an 11-5 loss Monday.

"It just wasn't his night. He wasn't quite locating the way he normally does," Oakland manager Bob Geren said. "He's been so good for so long that we'll kind of pass this one and look forward to him pitching Saturday against the Angels."

The right-hander has been much better against Los Angeles, going 3-1 with a 2.09 ERA in six career starts. In two home outings this year - both wins - he's held the Angels to one earned run in 15 innings, outdueling Weaver in a 5-2 win July 11.

Several Oakland hitters, however, have had a tough time against Weaver - especially Coco Crisp (1 for 14) and Cliff Pennington (1 for 15).

Pennington and Kevin Kouzmanoff both homered Friday, with Kouzmanoff connecting for the fourth time in eight games.