SoCal MLB Preview

LA Angels (69-40) at NY Yankees (59-50), 12:55 pm, FOX

BRONX, New York (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim probably don't want their current road trip to end. The major leagues' best team is 7-1 against the Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox and their current victim - the New York Yankees. Anaheim looks to win its third game in a row against the Bronx Bombers on Saturday, but will be without scorching Torii Hunter. Hunter will miss the remainder of the series to travel to Pine Bluff, Arkansas, to attend the funeral of his grandmother, who passed away last Friday. Hunter has propelled the Angels, who are riding a five-game winning streak, to victories in the first two games of the series. Hunter and Juan Rivera hit three-run home runs in the third inning as they roughed up Andy Pettitte en route to a12-6 romp on Thursday. On Friday, Hunter drove in the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth against Mariano Rivera for a 1-0 triumph. Anaheim starter Ervin Santana tossed eight sterling innings, allowing five hits while striking out eight. Sidney Ponson, his cournterpart, tossed seven scoreless frames and gave up two hits and four walks. Francisco Rodriguez pitched a perfect ninth to notch his major league-leading 45th save. Mike Mussina (13-7, 3.56 ERA) takes the mound for the Yankees, who have dropped five of six. Before the 39-year-old surrendered six runs and eight hits in five innings against the Orioles on Monday, he went five games without allowing more than two runs. The Angels will counter with Jered Weaver (9-8, 4.11), who defeated Boston in his last start on Tuesday, but was forced out after 5 2/3 innings with discomfort in his right shoulder. Prior to the game, Yankee Stadium will host its 62nd Old-Timer's Day.

Arizona (57-52) at LA Dodgers (54-55) 10:10 p.m.

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Despite the addition of Manny Ramirez, the Los Angeles Dodgers are still struggling to score runs. The Dodgers continue their search for offense on Saturday against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Ramirez, who was acquired from the Boston Red Sox on Thursday in a three-team deal, had a pair of singles but grounded into a double play in the ninth inning during Los Angeles' 2-1 setback on Friday. The 36-year-old slugger posted a .299 batting average with 20 home runs and 68 RBI with the Red Sox and is expected to bolster a team that ranks in the bottom five in the majors in runs, home runs and slugging percentage. However, Ramirez and his teammates were stymied for the second straight game by the Diamondbacks, who stretched their lead in the National League West to three games over the Dodgers with their second consecutive 2-1 victory on Friday. Ramirez and Los Angeles hope for a better performance when they face Yusmeiro Petit (1-1, 2.55 ERA), who will come out of the bullpen to take Micah Owings' spot in the Arizona rotation after the righthander was sent to the minors on Friday. Petit is 1-0 with a 1.64 ERA in two starts, giving up one run and three hits in five innings en route to a 9-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs in his most recent start on July 22. Hiroki Kuroda (5-8, 4.40) has lost each of his last two starts and tries to earn his first win since July 7 for the Dodgers.