• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Angels hope to avoid 'Freeway Series' sweep vs. Dodgers

Jun 29, 2008 - 12:58 PM LA Angels (48-33) at LA Dodgers (38-42)

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim entered this weekend as baseball's best road team. After two straight shutouts, including Saturday's game in which they lost despite holding their interleague rival hitless, they may be wondering when their offense will return.

The Angels attempt to avoid a series sweep and salvage a season-series split against the Los Angeles Dodgers as the interleague rivals conclude a three-game set Sunday.

Anaheim, which entered this series with a 26-13 road record, could attribute much of its success away from home this season to its pitching staff, which sports a league-best 3.31 ERA outside of Angel Stadium. However, the Angels are tied with the Dodgers with 166 road runs, the seventh-worst total in the league.

Both extremes were on display yet again Saturday, but not even Jered Weaver and Jose Arredondo - who combined to hold the Dodgers hitless over eight innings - could manage to pull out a win for the Angels, who were shut out for the second straight game at Dodger Stadium, 1-0.

The run came courtesy of Blake DeWitt's fifth-inning sacrifice fly - which only happened as a result of two errors that allowed Matt Kemp to reach base and later take third base on a wild throw from catcher Jeff Mathis during a steal attempt. The Dodgers became the fifth team in modern major league history to win a game without recording a hit.

On Sunday, the Angels' offense would like nothing more than to come alive in support of ace John Lackey (5-1, 1.65 ERA), who will look to win his fifth straight start. The righthander yielded two runs - one earned - and six hits over eight frames during Monday's 3-2 victory at Washington.

The Dodgers, who will be eyeing just their second-ever home sweep of the Angels, will turn to Derek Lowe (5-7, 4.05) to keep the Angels' offense in check once again. The sinkerballer took the loss in Tuesday's 6-1 setback to the Chicago White Sox after surrendering five runs and nine hits over 7 1/3 innings.