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Santana, Angels set to tangle with Twins

Aug 2, 2011 - 2:51 PM (Sports Network) - The LA Angels of Anaheim have to feel good about being back at home and will begin a six-game residency tonight, starting with the first of three consecutive matchups with the Minnesota Twins from the Big A.

The Angels will also welcome Seattle to Hollywood on this residency and recorded a 6-4 record on a recent road trip that culminated with a four-game split against the Detroit Tigers this weekend at Comerica Park. Angels ace Jered Weaver was ejected from Sunday's 3-2 loss for throwing at the head of Tigers catcher Alex Avila in the seventh inning. Weaver didn't take too kindly of home run trots by Magglio Ordonez and Carlos Guillen.

"Whether or not I didn't like something [Guillen] did, I'm not someone to try to hurt somebody," Weaver said. "I tried to throw a fastball in, and it got away from me. I'm not trying to hurt anybody."

Erick Aybar broke up Tigers ace Justin Verlander's no-hit bid by reaching on a throwing error. Aybar laid down a bunt and Verlander fielded it before errantly throwing to first base. Maicer Izturis and Peter Bourjos both drove in runs for the Angels, who are two games behind Texas for the AL West lead.

Anaheim was pleased with Ervin Santana's last start and hopes he can duplicate that performance Tuesday versus the Twins. Santana tossed a no-hitter in last Wednesday's 3-1 win at Cleveland in which he struck out 10 batters, walked only one and yielded an unearned run. He is 3-0 in his last six starts with the Halos going 5-1 in that span.

Santana is 6-8 with a 3.47 earned run average in 22 starts, but 3-5 in 11 trips to the home mound. He earned American League Co-Player of the Week honors for his effort and tossed the ninth no-hitter in Angels history. It was the first since Mark Langston and Mike Witt combined to hold the Mariners hitless on April 11, 1990. Witt's no-no in 1984 was the last solo effort.

Santana has made eight career starts against Minnesota and is 2-3 with a 5.24 ERA.

The Twins will resume a 10-game road trip Tuesday and are 3-4 so far on the trek. They have lost seven of 11 games overall and are coming off Sunday's 7-3 loss to Oakland in the finale of a three-game series from the Coliseum.

Jim Thome finished 3-for-4 with a home run and Joe Mauer recorded three hits and an RBI for Minnesota, which is seven games off the lead in the AL Central and got two hits and an RBI out of Danny Valencia.

Thome owns 597 career home runs and tied Tony Perez for 27th all-time in RBI. Only seven players in Major League history have reached the 600-homer mark.

"It was fun to see him hit another homer and get closer to that big 600 number," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "He's swinging really good for us. It's fun to see. It's fun to watch."

Gardenhire is expected to activate center fielder Denard Span off of the disabled list prior to tonight's game. Span suffered a concussion in a home- plate collision with Royals catcher Brayan Pena on June 3 and is batting .294 with a .361 on-base percentage in 56 games this season. Luke Hughes was optioned to Triple-A Rochester on Sunday to make room for Span.

Twins left-hander Brian Duensing draws the start tonight and has won four of his last five decisions, including last Wednesday's 7-2 win at Texas. He held the Rangers to a run on seven hits in 6 2/3 innings to improve to 8-8 in 21 games (20 starts) this season with a 4.35 ERA.

Duensing is 3-4 in 10 road starts this season and 1-0 with a 2.03 ERA in five games (1 start) lifetime against the Angels.

Anaheim won a three-game set from Minnesota back in May at Target Field, but the Twins have won six of nine overall in this series.