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Angels hope Haren is ready for Rays

Jun 7, 2011 - 3:20 PM (Sports Network) - Dan Haren hopes to put a balky back behind him this evening when the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim continue a three-game set with the Tampa Bay Rays at Angel Stadium.

Haren had his scheduled start on Saturday pushed back after tweaking a back muscle during a side session earlier in the week. The right-hander had won for the first time in eight starts in his last appearance on May 29 in Minnesota, as he allowed three runs and 10 hits in six innings to improve to 5-3 to go along with a 2.29 ERA.

"When it happened I thought I was going to be down for a while," said Haren. "It was pretty painful. But I worked hard ... and it's progressed every day."

Technically Haren did not miss a start and hasn't over the course of his nine- year career, keeping his streak of 215 consecutive starts intact.

"It's not really about the streak," said Haren,. "It's about getting out there as much as I can. Baseball is the ultimate team sport. I do no good sitting here in the training room. I have to be out there. It was a lot of work, too."

Haren beat the Rays earlier in the year and is 6-2 lifetime against them with a 2.57 ERA in 10 starts.

Tampa Bay will hand the ball to rookie Alex Cobb, who will be making his third big league start. Cobb has failed to register a decision in either of his first two outings, and against Texas last Tuesday allowed three runs and four hits in 6 1/3 innings. He has pitched to a 5.91 ERA in his two appearances.

Tampa drew first blood in this set on Monday, as Justin Ruggiano knocked in three runs, including a two-run home run, and David Price tossed seven-plus strong innings to give the Rays a 5-1 victory.

Price (7-5) allowed one run on five hits and fanned seven as Tampa Bay won for the second time in three games.

"I was able to pound the strike zone and this was the best my changeup has been," said Price. "Our offense responded great. It was fun."

Tyler Chatwood (3-3) allowed five runs -- four earned -- on nine hits and a walk through seven innings. He also struck out five in the Angels fifth loss in six contests.

The Angels have won four of six from the Rays this season and have taken seven of the last 10 matchups in the series.