SoCal MLB Preview

LA Angels (22-15) at Tampa Bay (19-16), 4:10 pm
ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Ticker) -- The Tampa Bay Rays will turn to their ace on Saturday in search of a third straight win when they host the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. The Rays earned a walk-off win on Friday when rookie Evan Longoria snapped a scoreless tie with a two-run homer off righthander Justin Speier. James Shields tossed his second shutout in his last three starts, allowing just one hit and not issuing a walk while striking out eight. Tampa Bay will be gunning for its eighth straight home victory, which would set a franchise record. The Rays have allowed just one run in their last 32 innings at home. Scott Kazmir (0-1, 6.75 ERA) will try to make sure that run continues on Saturday. The ace lefthander made his first start of the season at Boston last Sunday, allowing four runs - three earned - and six hits in four innings while walking three and striking out five. The 24-year-old Kazmir, who led the American League with 239 strikeouts last season, has faced the Angels just twice in his career, going 1-1 with a 4.72 ERA. Anaheim will counter with the surprising Joe Saunders (6-0, 2.61). The 26-year-old lefthander has picked up the win in each of his last five starts, beating Baltimore last Sunday despite allowing four runs and 12 hits in five frames. Saunders has pitched at least eight innings in four of his seven starts and has walked just 10 batters in 48 1/3 innings.

Houston (19-17) at LA Dodgers (19-16), 7:10 pm
LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Lance Berkman may be causing pitchers around the league to lose quite a bit of sleep. Berkman aims to continue his unbelievable start to the season on Saturday as the Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers resume their three-game series. Berkman blasted his 12th home run of the season and Brian Moehler threw five effective innings as the Astros posted a 7-1 victory in Friday's opener. It seems as though Berkman cannot be slowed lately. The four-time All-Star has reached base safely in 20 of his last 24 plate appearances, and is hitting .500 (23-for-46) with six home runs and 14 RBI in his last 12 games. Berkman ranks at least second in the National League in nearly every offensive category. The 10-year veteran leads the NL in RBI with 35 and his 12 home runs are second only to Philadelphia's Chase Utley (13). Chad Billingsley (2-4, 4.54 ERA) has been pitching well lately, but facing Berkman will surely be a litmus test. Billingsley won his second straight start on Monday by limiting the New York Mets to one run and five hits in six innings of a 5-1 victory. The Astros will counter with Chris Sampson (1-3, 7.96), who is looking to rebound from a terrible outing. The righthander allowed five runs and nine hits in 3 1/3 innings of an 8-6 victory over Milwaukee on Sunday.