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Angels-Yankees Preview

Apr 30, 2009 - 4:11 AM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

Los Angeles (8-11) at New York (10-10), 7:05 p.m. EDT

The Los Angeles Angels have had the New York Yankees' number over the years. This season, they will try to continue that success with a former Yankee who has emerged as their top hitter.

The Angels make their first visit to the new Yankee Stadium on Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series as Bobby Abreu returns to New York.

Los Angeles (9-11) has won the season series each of the last five years from the Yankees (11-10), taking seven of 10 meetings last year. That's due in part to Vladimir Guerrero, who's batted .322 with 34 RBIs in 38 games against New York since joining the Angels in 2005.

Guerrero is on the disabled list with a pectoral tear, but the Angels have gotten a big April from Abreu, who batted .295 with 43 homers, 243 RBIs and a .378 on-base percentage for the Yankees from 2006-08.

The right fielder signed a $5 million, one-year contract with Los Angeles in the offseason. He's batting a team-high .363 as he makes his return to the Bronx.

"I was good. I didn't do nothing wrong while I was there," Abreu told the Angels' official Web site. "I guess it's just that they're going to see me in a different uniform. I hope they still like me."

The Angels will also see a familiar face in a different uniform in Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira, who signed a $180 million, eight-year deal in the offseason. The Angels acquired Teixeira at the trade deadline last year and he batted .358 with 43 RBIs in 54 games to help them win the AL West crown.

The slugger is off to a slow start with New York, hitting .197 and driving in 10 runs.

Both teams appear to be playing good baseball heading into this series. The Angels have won three straight while the Yankees have scored 19 runs in winning consecutive games after a four-game skid.

New York has relied on big innings in its back-to-back victories. The Yankees scored 10 runs in the seventh inning Tuesday in an 11-0 win at Detroit, and plated seven in the fourth during an 8-6 win Wednesday. Nick Swisher homered from both sides of the plate in the game.

"All cylinders were clicking," said Swisher, who has team highs of seven homers and 19 RBIs.

Second baseman Robinson Cano has a career-high 16-game hitting streak and is batting a team-high .371.

Los Angeles finished a two-game sweep of Baltimore with a 3-2 win Wednesday behind homers from Torii Hunter and Kendry Morales.

"It feels good to put a streak together," Hunter said.

A.J. Burnett (2-0, 5.47 ERA) returns to the mound for New York after his worst outing of the season. Burnett allowed eight runs over five innings and didn't receive a decision in a 16-11 loss at Boston on Saturday.

The veteran right-hander is 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA in four outings against Los Angeles. Abreu is hitting .328 (19-for-58) versus Burnett.

Anthony Ortega (0-1, 7.20) will make his second career start for Los Angeles. He allowed five runs in five innings Saturday to lose his major league debut, 9-8 at Seattle.

The 23-year-old right-hander was the Angels' minor league pitcher of the year in 2008.