April 27, 2011
A's (11-13) vs.
LA ANGELS (14-10)
Coverage begins at 3:30 P.M. on Comcast SportsNet California
(AP) -- Through two meetings so far in 2011, the Los Angeles Angels have continued their home dominance over the Oakland Athletics.
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With Dan Haren going to the mound, Los Angeles has a good change to extend its winning streak.
Haren will try to help the Angels win their ninth straight at home over the Athletics and complete the three-game sweep Wednesday night.
Los Angeles (14-10) came into this series having dropped four in a row, and without having scored in its final two games against Boston over the weekend.
Following a 5-0 win over the Athletics on Monday, the Angels posted an 8-3 victory Tuesday.
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Alexi Amarista hit a two-run double on the third pitch he ever saw in the major leagues before adding a sacrifice fly in the eighth. Howie Kendrick had three of the Angels' 16 hits and scored three runs.
Kendrick, who is 5 for 8 in the series, is batting .433 during a seven-game hitting streak against the A's.
Oakland has been outscored 45-14 during its losing streak to Los Angeles. The A's also have lost five of seven overall - three by shutout - and having totaled six runs in the losses.
Coco Crisp left Tuesday in the third inning with tightness in his quad. He had nine hits in the previous three games and was 1 for 2 before exiting.
After being held to one hit over the final 6 1-3 innings Tuesday, the Athletics may not find it any easier produce against Haren (4-1, 1.46 ERA), who has the second-lowest ERA in the AL behind teammate Jered Weaver, who is 6-0 with a 0.99 ERA.
Haren has given up six earned runs, 23 hits and struck out 33 in 37 innings.
However, he suffered his first loss of the year after giving up four runs - two earned - in six innings of a 4-3 defeat to Boston on Friday. The right-hander struck out six, but didn't get any run support.
"I don't want to lose, obviously, but the chances were that I wasn't going to go 34-0. So it was probably going to happen at some point," Haren said. "It was kind of a weird game. A couple of balls found holes, so it's not like it was flying everywhere."
Haren, who pitched with Oakland from 2005-07, is 2-0 with a 3.60 ERA in three starts against the Athletics. He allowed two runs in six innings of a 4-2 win Sept. 28.
Oakland (11-12) will counter with Tyson Ross (1-2, 4.82), who will make his second start in place of the injured Dallas Braden. Ross gave up three runs, four hits and walked four in 4 1-3 innings of a 4-0 loss to Seattle on Friday.
In three career starts, Ross is 0-3 with a 6.74 ERA, spanning two seasons. He's pitched 12 innings in those appearances.
As a rookie, the right-hander faced the Angels three times last season, including one start. He pitched a total of 7 2-3 innings, posting an 0-1 record with a 4.70 ERA.