(Sports Network) - Credited with their league-leading 12th shutout of the
season on Saturday, the LA Angels of Anaheim shoot for their second straight
win and the third in the last four outings as they close out a four-game set
against the Baltimore Orioles at home this afternoon.
Jered Weaver was again masterful for the Angels yesterday, allowing a mere
three hits and one walk, while striking out five over eight innings in a 3-0
triumph for the hosts. Weaver, an impressive 10-1 on the campaign thus far,
has won five straight decisions, including four consecutive starts.
First in the American League in ERA (1.96), winning percentage (.909) and WHIP
(0.90), Weaver has an ERA of just 0.33 since coming off the disabled list on
June 20.
Weaver joins Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax as only the second pitcher since 1950
to take 10-plus wins with an ERA under 2.00 to the All-Star break in
consecutive seasons.
"I don't know if you can ask Jered to do anything else," manager Mike Scioscia
said. "If he didn't miss those couple starts, who knows where his numbers
would be this half, but he gives us good game after good game and gives us a
chance to win."
Offensively the Angels, now four games out of first in the AL West, produced a
total of six hits, with Torii Hunter, Mike Trout and Mark Trumbo all coming
around to score.
The Orioles posted a total of just three hits, one each by Jim Thome, Wilson
Betemit and Robert Andino.
"It's his park," Orioles center fielder Adam Jones said of Weaver. "I've seen
his career numbers in this park, and they are pretty amazing. We had a couple
good chances early and then we let him get in the groove."
Baltimore starter Jason Hammel was saddled with the loss even though he gave
up just three runs on six hits and four walks. Now 8-5 on the campaign, Hammel
struck out four over 6 2/3 innings.
"Weaver is pretty much unbeatable at home so any runs you give up, it makes it
that much harder," Hammel said. "I thought I pitched pretty well, some bad
pitches there in the seventh. Just got to be able to get through the seventh
there."
Heading to the hill this afternoon for the visiting Orioles will be left-
hander Wei-Yin Chen, a native of Taiwan, who is pitching in his first major
league season.
Chen managed to get off to a 7-2 start for the O's, but since then he has
dropped two straight decisions and has not tasted victory since June 17 versus
Atlanta.
Most recently Chen failed to factor into the decision as he permitted just two
runs on a pair of hits, striking out nine through 7 1/3 innings against
Seattle in what turned into a 5-4 win for Baltimore Tuesday.
Back on April 22 Chen clashed with the Angels and, despite allowing just one
run on six hits through 6 1/3 innings, failed to factor into the decision.
A fourth-round pick by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2007 draft, Brad Mills is
set to make his first major league appearance with the Angels this afternoon
as he subs for Dan Haren, who is still suffering from lower back stiffness.
Acquired in a trade in the offseason, Mills was 2-3 with a hefty 8.57 ERA in
14 games over the last three seasons with Toronto. This year the left-hander
has produced a 3-3 mark with a 4.47 ERA in nine starts for Triple-A Salt Lake
City prior to being called up.
Coincidently, the two previous major league wins for Mills have also come
against the Orioles. While he has had some control issues in those two
meetings, issuing seven walks in 12 1/3 innings, he has also struck out nine
and has an ERA of just 2.19.
Baltimore, which is alone in second place in the AL East, six games behind the
Yankees, is the only team in the division with a negative run differential
(minus-30). The team is near the bottom of the league in batting at .241.
The Sports Network