SoCal MLB Preview

LA Dodgers (38-43) at Houston (39-43), 5:05 pm

HOUSTON (Ticker) -- Eric Stults has been nothing short of spectacular in his first two starts for the Los Angeles Dodgers. The way the Dodgers' offense has been sputtering they will need another strong effort from Stults on Monday in the opener of a three-game series with the Houston Astros. Stults (2-0, 0.60 ERA) fired a four-hitter in leading the Dodgers to a 5-0 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday. The 28-year-old lefthander should not expect that much run support this time around. Los Angeles made history on Saturday when it became jus the fifth team ever to win a game without the benefit of a hit in a 1-0 victory over Anaheim. On Sunday, the Dodgers were held to three hits in a 1-0 loss to the Angels. The Dodgers, who have been held to one or zero runs in four of their last six games, will try and get untracked against Houston ace Roy Oswalt. Oswalt (6-8, 4.77), who has lost eight games for the first time since 2006, is 2-5 with a 4.29 ERA in his last eight starts. Houston, which took two of three from Boston over the weekend, outscored the Dodgers, 20-6, during a three-game sweep from May 9-11.

Oakland (44-37) at LA Angels (49-33), 7:05 pm

ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- Vladimir Guerrero and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim look to get the offense going against the Oakland Athletics on Monday when they open a three-game series. Guerrero has a hit in 17 of his last 18 games, but he managed just two hits this past weekend as the Angels managed just one run over their their three-game interleague series with the rival Los Angeles Dodgers. The Angels even failed to win after combining for eight no-hit frames Saturday as a pair of throwing errors lifted the Dodgers to a 1-0 triumph. After getting blanked in two consecutive games, the Angels rebounded for a 1-0 victory on Sunday. After struggling for the first two months of the season, Guerrero is batting over .400 with six home runs and 15 RBI during June. With their offense slumping, the Angels have to face rookie Greg Smith (4-6, 3.69 ERA), who allowed four runs over 5 2/3 frames in Wednesday's 4-0 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. The Athletics are coming off an 11-1 loss to the San Francisco Giants on Sunday. Anaheim starter Jon Garland (7-4, 4.05) surrendered three runs and six hits with four strikeouts over seven innings during Tuesday's 8-3 triumph over the Washington Nationals.