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Indians-Angels Preview

Sep 7, 2010 - 5:55 AM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS Writer

Cleveland (55-82) at Los Angeles (66-71), 10:05 p.m. EDT

While the Los Angeles Angels still have a winning record in Anaheim, they haven't enjoyed many victories there lately.

The Angels look to avoid their first five-game home losing streak in four seasons Tuesday night when they continue their series against the Cleveland Indians.

Since moving a season high-tying seven games above .500 at home on Aug. 14, Los Angeles (66-72) has lost seven of eight at Angel Stadium.

After scoring one run while getting swept by Baltimore in their last home series Aug. 27-29, the Angels lost 3-2 to AL Central-worst Cleveland (56-82) on Monday to open their six-game homestand.

The three-time defending AL West champs, who have fallen 9 1/2 games behind division-leading Texas, are batting .184 with 26 strikeouts during their home skid.

Looking to prevent their first five-game losing streak at Angel Stadium since April 28-May 2, 2006, Los Angeles will give the ball to right-hander Trevor Bell (2-4, 4.85 ERA). The converted reliever allowed two runs in Wednesday's 4-2 victory at Seattle, winning his first game since May 10. Bell, 1-1 with a 2.77 ERA in his last two starts, gave up a career high-tying nine hits in six innings, but held the Mariners to 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position.

"They definitely had some opportunities and he made some pitches to get out," said manager Mike Scioscia. "He showed us a lot out there. He bent a little bit but didn't break."

It was Bell's first win as a starter since earning his first career victory at Cleveland on Aug. 18, 2009.

The Indians, who are going for their first series win on the road since July 30-Aug. 1 against Toronto - and their first in Anaheim since 2005 - will look for another solid start from Justin Masterson (5-12, 5.04). The right-hander had one of his best outings of the season in Tuesday's 4-3 loss to the White Sox, surrendering one run and four hits in 7 2-3 innings.

"I had the ability to throw strikes when I needed to," Masterson told the Indians' official web site following his 102-pitch performance.

Masterson, 2-7 with a 6.75 ERA on the road this season, is 1-0 with a 1.47 ERA in three career starts versus the Angels. The last time he faced Los Angeles, he threw 6 1-3 innings of one-run ball in an 11-3 home win Aug. 20. It was Masterson's only victory with the Indians last season after being acquired from Boston at the trade deadline.

Indians right fielder Shin-Soo Choo, who had the tie breaking RBI single in the ninth inning Monday, is batting .421 against the Angels - his highest career average versus any AL team. Choo is 2 for 3 versus Bell.

Third baseman Alberto Callaspo, who is batting .308 since being acquired from Kansas City on July 22, snapped the Angels' 30-inning home scoreless streak Monday with a fifth-inning RBI single. Callaspo is hitting .409 with two homers and seven RBIs in six games against Cleveland this season.