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Angels look to stay hot against Rangers

Aug 31, 2007 - 2:46 PM Texas (61-72) at LA Angels (79-54) 10:05 pm EDT

ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) - The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim will look to continue their winning ways when they return home for a three-game series against the Texas Rangers on Friday.

The Angels open a 10-game homestand against the Rangers before playing the Oakland Athletics and the Cleveland Indians. They have been the best team in baseball at home, posting a 44-20 record at Angel Stadium this season.

Los Angeles has won four consecutive games - including a three game sweep of the Seattle Mariners (73-59), who are second in the American League West Division. The Angels have now extended their cushion in the AL West to 5 1/2 games.

Joe Saunders (7-2, 3.62 ERA) will look to extend the Angels winning streak when he takes the mound. Saunders had a rough start his last time out, allowing a season-high five runs on nine hits over 5 1/3 innings. The righthander, who is 3-2 over his last five starts, struck out two and walked two, losing 9-2 against the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday.

Vicente Padilla (4-9, 6.24) will counter Saunders when he toes the rubber for the Rangers. Padilla had his best outing of the season during his last start on Sunday, surrendering just one run on five hits while striking out three over six innings, as the Rangers handed the Mariners a 5-3 setback.

Padilla is 0-2 with a 6.94 ERA against the Angels this season, with both starts coming before June 21 when he suffered a right triceps inflammation which caused him to miss nearly two months. For his career, the 29-year-old Padilla is 3-2 with a 4.64 ERA in eight appearances - seven starts - against Los Angeles.