• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Colon looks to end lengthy slide vs. Athletics

Jul 23, 2007 - 2:37 PM Oakland (46-52) at LA Angels (57-40) 10:05 pm EDT

ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- After starting the season out strong, Bartolo Colon will look to recapture his early magic as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim begin a three-game series with the Oakland Athletics on Monday.

Despite getting a late start to the season due to his recovery from surgery on a torn right rotator cuff, Colon (6-5, 6.38 ERA) opened the year by going 5-0 in his first seven starts. Since then, Colon has been abysmal, struggling to a 1-5 record and 8.67 ERA over his last nine turns in the rotation.

Included in that stretch was Wednesday's 7-2 loss at the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The righthander yielded just three runs and five hits but walked four over five frames.

Despite his struggles, Colon can take relief in a 6-3 mark with a 3.38 ERA in 13 career starts against the A's.

The Angels could help out their 2005 American League Cy Young award winner by repeating their offensive output from Sunday. Garret Anderson snapped the team's 14-game homerless streak on Anaheim's way to scoring seven runs, this after averaging just over three per game over the last six contests.

Like Colon, Chad Gaudin (8-5, 3.39) has struggled after a fantastic start to the season. After ending May with a 5-1 record and a 2.32 ERA, he has struggled since, going 3-4 with a 4.73 ERA.

In an 11-4 loss to Texas on Tuesday, the righthander surrendered five runs and eight hits, walking a career-high six batters over six frames. He will to draw on his track record against Anaheim, as he is 2-0 with a 3.38 ERA in two starts and seven relief appearances against them over his career, including a 1-0 in two starts against the Angels this season.