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Angels face surging Tigers, aim for sixth straight win

May 22, 2007 - 1:21 PM LA Angels (27-18) at Detroit (27-16) 7:05 pm EDT

DETROIT (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim aim for their season-high sixth straight win when they take on the surging Detroit Tigers in the opener of a three-game series on Tuesday.

Kelvim Escobar pitched eight scoreless innings as the Angels defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers, 4-1, to complete a three-game series sweep Sunday.

They will look to keep their streak going behind John Lackey (6-3, 2.43 ERA), who won for the fourth time in five outings last Wednesday. He tossed six scoreless innings, allowing four hits in a 5-0 victory at Seattle.

Lackey has yielded nine runs in 34 2/3 frames over his last five starts. He also has had success against the Tigers, posting a 5-0 mark with a 3.47 ERA in his career, including three wins at Comerica Park.

But it will not be easy against the Tigers, who are coming off a sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals in a rematch of the 2006 World Series.

Justin Verlander continued a stellar month and the Tigers completed the three-game sweep against the Cardinals with a 6-3 victory Sunday at Comerica. Detroit, which posted only 11 runs and 32 hits while losing the World Series to the Cardinals in five games, exceeded both marks with 28 runs and 38 hits to sweep the interleague series.

The Tigers will counter with Mike Maroth (3-0, 4.69), who missed his last start, reporting flu-like symptoms. In his last start on May 11, he yielded one run and nine hits in 6 2/3 innings in a 7-3 win at Minnesota.

Maroth, who has never started the season with four straight victories, has been solid for Detroit, which is 7-0 in his starts.