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Rays, Angels begin three-game series

Aug 18, 2008 - 12:51 PM LA Angels (76-46) at Tampa Bay (75-48), 7:10 pm EDT

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Ticker) -- Not only are the Tampa Bay Rays fighting to hold on to their playoff chances, they are also competing with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim for the best record in the American League.

The Rays take on the Angels on Monday as the league's top two teams begin a three-game series at Tropicana Field.

Andy Sonnanstine (12-6, 4.35 ERA) takes the mound for Tampa Bay, looking to improve on his team-leading win tally. The 25-year-old has pitched into the seventh inning in half of his past 10 outings and has held opponents to three runs or less in eight of those.

The rigthhander is 2-2 in five starts after the All-Star break, but has a 3.55 ERA - over a run lower than his 4.58 mark in the first half, when he was 10-4.

Jon Garland (11-7, 4.26) counters for Anaheim, looking to win for the fourth time in his last five starts. The 28-year-old righthander has held opponents to three runs or less in eight of his last 10 outings and pitched at least six innings in eight of those as well.

Garland is 7-2 in 10 starts on the road this season, but has posted a pedestrian 4.57 ERA.

The Rays are games above the Boston Red Sox (71-53) for first place in the AL East, while the Angels own a 15-game cushion over the Texas Rangers (62-62) in the West.

Tampa Bay swept a three-game set - including back-to-back 2-0 victories - in the first time the two clubs met on May 9-11. Then on June 9-11, the Angels took two of three.

B.J. Upton homered, collected three hits and drove in three runs as the Rays defeated the Rangers on Sunday in the finale of a three-game set. On Saturday, though, Upton was benched by manager Joe Maddon for his lack of hustle the night before.

Meanwhile, Anaheim received four multi-hit efforts, but fell to the Cleveland Indians for the second time in three contests, 4.3, on Sunday.