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Indians aim to avoid third straight loss vs. Angels

Sep 8, 2007 - 2:35 PM Cleveland (81-60) at LA Angels (84-57) 9:05 pm EDT

ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) - The Cleveland Indians will try to end their brief slide when they meet the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on Saturday.

The Indians absorbed their last loss in rough fashion Friday, as Rafael Betancourt surrendered the game-winning hit to Kendry Morales in the 10th inning for a 3-2 setback after rallying to tie in the ninth.

Cleveland turns to C.C. Sabathia (16-7, 3.24 ERA), who blanked the Minnesota Twins through eight innings in his last outing on Monday. The hard-throwing lefthander has allowed two earned runs or less in each of his past nine starts, but is just 3-3 during that stretch.

In his only start against the Angels this season, Sabathia battled through seven frames for a 7-6 triumph on April 10. He is only 4-5 with a 4.96 ERA in his career vs. the club.

The Angels hand the ball to Ervin Santana (6-12, 6.07), who was stellar in his last outing. The Dominican righthander tossed 6 1/3 scoreless innings to defeat the Oakland Athletics for his first win since June.

Santana is 0-4 with a 9.19 ERA in four lifetime starts against Cleveland, which beat the 24-year-old hurler twice already this campaign.

Garret Anderson continued his red-hot hitting on Friday, driving an RBI in his 12th consecutive game. He is two shy of trying Tris Speaker's record of 14 straight set in 1928.

"Nothing more I can say about Garret," Los Angles manager Mike Scioscia said. "We just hope he can keep riding his hot bat for a while."