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Sep 5, 2010 - 12:31 AM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

Los Angeles (65-70) at Oakland (66-68), 4:05 p.m. EDT

Offensive shortcomings have the Los Angeles Angels in position to get swept in a three-game set by the Oakland Athletics for the first time in over six years.

Sending Ervin Santana to the mound could avoid that.

Santana looks to re-establish his dominance of the A's as the AL West rivals conclude their series Sunday.

The Angels (65-71) have dropped nine of 12, hitting .194 and scoring nine runs in the defeats. They've been limited to one run and 10 hits - nine singles - while losing the first two games of this series.

Los Angeles hasn't been swept in a three-game series by the A's (67-68) since June 29-July 1, 2004, at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.

The Angeles, hitting .254 overall, were five-hit in a 3-1 loss to Oakland on Saturday, wasting a strong effort from Jered Weaver, who allowed three runs in seven innings.

"We're going to evaluate this thing very closely," manager Mike Scioscia said. "We're looking at a lot of things and where guys are right now. It's a long stretch and we're obviously paying a steep price for not supporting what really for the last month has been solid starting pitching."

Scioscia is hoping Santana (14-9, 4.05 ERA) can help Los Angeles avoid being swept with a start against the team he's beaten more than any other. The right-hander is 11-3 with a 1.73 ERA in 19 games - 17 starts - against the A's, and he's posted a 5-1 mark with a 1.89 ERA in 10 outings - eight starts - at Oakland.

Santana's lone loss there, however, came in his most recent meeting with the A's on June 10, when he gave up five runs in five innings of a 6-1 defeat.

He has won six of eight starts to move within two victories of tying his single-season career high set in 2006 and equaled in 2008. Santana was impressive in Monday's 5-3 win at Seattle, yielding two runs while scattering eight hits in 7 2-3 innings.

Some production from Bobby Abreu could help Santana's cause. The right fielder is 2 for 33 with a solo homer over his last 10 games, but the homer came in Santana's last outing. Abreu is 0 for 9 since, but 3 for 9 with a homer against Vin Mazzaro (6-7, 4.05), Oakland's scheduled starter Sunday.

Mazzaro is entering this matchup 0-5 with a 5.09 ERA in seven starts.

The right-hander turned in perhaps his worst start of the season Tuesday, getting tagged for a career-high nine runs and three homers in 3 2-3 innings of a 9-3 loss at New York.

Mazzaro, though, has been solid in two starts - both at home - against the Angels this season, going 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA. He yielded three runs and four hits in seven innings of a 6-5, 10-inning loss to them July 9.

The A's are 31-14 in day games, tops in the majors.