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Twins-Angels Preview

Jul 21, 2015 - 6:43 AM Locked in a personal duel for the major league home run lead, Albert Pujols and Mike Trout are also powering the Los Angeles Angels on a torrid stretch.

The two superstars will try to lead their club to a season-high sixth consecutive win Tuesday night when they face a pitcher who's been at his best lately, the Minnesota Twins' Kyle Gibson.

Los Angeles (52-40) has won 11 of 13 and its red-hot lineup has been the driving force, averaging 6.7 runs while hitting 25 homers. Pujols hit a pair of longballs in the Angels' fifth consecutive win Monday night, a 7-3 victory over Boston, and had three in their rare home doubleheader to move past Mike Schmidt for 15th on the all-time list.

"I enjoy it because I was able to do something tonight to help my ballclub win," Pujols said. "It's about the team, man. It's not about personal success. We're on top right now, and we can't take that for granted."

Trout added his seventh in 10 contests in Monday's nightcap as the Angels improved to 5-2 when the two homer in the same game, and his 28 have him one behind Pujols.

Kole Calhoun has six in his last 12 games and is batting .347 with a 1.176 OPS in that span.

Gibson (8-6, 2.85 ERA) has the difficult task of trying to cool off the Angels while seeking to win his fifth consecutive start.

The right-hander gave up one unearned run in seven innings in a 7-1 win over Detroit on July 12 and lowered his ERA in his last four games to 1.30. He also finished with the fourth-lowest ERA by a Twins starter before the All-Star break since 1992.

"I try not to watch that too much and just focus on each outing," Gibson said. "I'm definitely excited about it, but (manager Paul Molitor said) that the work isn't done and there's a long way to go. So right now, 2.85 doesn't mean too much."

Gibson is 3-1 with a 1.90 ERA in his last six road starts but 0-1 with a 7.80 ERA in his three against the Angels (52-40). Trout and Pujols have fared well against him, going a combined 5 for 14 with a homer apiece.

He won't get support from Miguel Sano as the highly regarded prospect is expected to miss at least the next two games due to a right ankle injury suffered Saturday in Oakland. Sano attempted to play through that ailment but struck out three times in a 3-2 loss, dropping his average to .326 in 13 games, and sat out a 14-1 drubbing Sunday.

"The trainers don't really have a gut (feeling). But we don't think it's too severe," Molitor told MLB's official website.

Matt Shoemaker (4-7, 4.85) will try to lead Los Angeles to its longest win streak since a 10-game run from Sept. 4-13. The Angels will also seek to tie their season-best five consecutive home victories set May 28-June 1.

Shoemaker has been relatively effective in most of his past eight starts, logging a 3.35 ERA, but has one win in large part because of a combined 13 runs of support.

He did not get a decision in his lone start against Minnesota on Sept. 5, allowing three runs in four innings in a 7-6 win.

The Angels' 7-0 mark versus Minnesota in 2014 was their first sweep of a season series. Los Angeles, winner in eight of nine at home, has won nine of the last 11 matchups there.