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.

SoCal MLB Preview

LA Angels (67-40) at NY Yankees (59-48), 4:05 p.m.

BRONX, New York (Ticker) -- On Tuesday, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim put all of baseball on notice with the acquisition of first baseman Mark Teixeira. One day later, the New York Yankees made a statement of their own, replacing the injured Jorge Posada with another potential Hall of Fame-caliber catcher in Ivan Rodriguez. The Yankees expect Rodriguez to make his debut on Thursday when they host the first game of a four-game set with the Angels. New York reacted quickly after Posada's season-ending shoulder surgery, trading reliever Kyle Farnsworth to Detroit in exchange for the 14-time All-Star backstop. "(Rodriguez) is a significant upgrade with all due respect to who we got," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said. "How it works out all remains to be seen, but he's having a good year and we're excited to have the opportunity to believe that we addressed an important area of need." The Yankees fared quite well without Rodriguez in the lineup on Wednesday, avoiding a three-game sweep with a 13-3 rout of Baltimore. They'll look for a repeat against Jon Garland (9-6, 4.30 ERA), who overcame a poor outing in Saturday's 11-6 victory over Baltimore to get the win despite surrendering five runs and seven hits over 5 1/3 innings. Anaheim dealt first baseman Casey Kotchman and minor league pitcher Steve Marek to Atlanta to acquire Teixeira, who made his debut in Wednesday's 9-2 three-game series-sweeping win over the Red Sox. Teixeira drew a walk but went hitless in four at-bats, but it did not matter as the Angels won for the 10th time in 12 games after the All-Star break. "I'm very excited," Teixeira said. "If you ever get traded, you want to get traded to a team that has a chance to win it all. This is a great team here - great pitching, great defense and timely hitting. This team knows how to win and I'm happy to be a part of it." Andy Pettitte (12-7, 3.76) will be the latest pitcher trying to derail an Angels offense that has scored 80 runs since the break, something he may able to do if he can emulate his last two outings. After holding Oakland to one run and striking out nine on July 20, the lefthander yielded three runs - one earned - and five hits with seven strikeouts in the Yankees' 10-3 over the Boston Red Sox on Saturday.

Arizona (55-52) at LA Dodgers (54-53), 7:10 p.m.

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Dodgers have a chance to pull even atop the National League West Division on Thursday when they open a crucial four-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Dodgers managed to get back above .500 for the first time since May 27 on Wednesday, claiming a 4-0 victory against the San Francisco Giants as Chad Billingsley earned his first career shutout. The win was the ninth in the last 13 games for Los Angeles, which has held opponents scoreless in four of five contests. The Dodgers have a good chance of continuing their success against the Diamondbacks, who own one of the worst offenses in baseball. Despite holding a one-game lead in the NL West, Arizona ranks near the bottom of the NL in a number of offensive categories, including batting average (13th), home runs (12th) and runs (ninth). But, the Diamondbacks have won five of their last six, outscoring the opposition 37-18 over that span. Staff ace Brandon Webb looks to keep Arizona atop the division. Webb (14-4, 3.14 ERA), who is tied with three others for the major league-lead in wins, earned his third straight victory on Saturday. The 2006 NL Cy Young Award winner surrendered three runs and four hits in seven innings, walking two and striking out eight en route to a 5-3 victory over the Giants. Derek Lowe (8-8, 3.74) goes for his fourth consecutive win for the Dodgers. Lowe enters the game after his best start, eight scoreless innings, yielding one hit and one walk while striking out four during Saturday's 6-0 victory against the Washington Nationals.

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LA Angels (66-40) at Boston (61-47), 4:05 pm

BOSTON (Ticker) -- A day after acquiring slugger Mark Teixeira, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim will try to sweep the three-game series against the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday at Fenway Park. Teixeira, who is batting .283 with 20 home runs and 78 RBI, is expected to make his debut with the Angels and bat cleanup behind Vladimir Guerrero. The owners of the best record in the major leagues, the Angels traded first baseman Casey Kotchman and prospect righthander Steve Malek to the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday with hopes the two-time Gold Glove winner will propel them to play deep into October. In the first two games against the Red Sox, Anaheim looked like a legitimate championship contender. On Monday, it posted a 7-5 triumph and Tuesday was even more impressive as John Lackey took a no-hitter into the ninth - before surrendering two hits and two runs - en route to a 6-2 win. Boston will turn to ace Josh Beckett (9-7, 3.83 ERA) to erase the possibility of falling three games behind the first-place Tampa Bay Rays (62-44). Beckett faced the Angels on July 19 and was on the losing end of a 4-2 bout. The 28-year-old righthander tossed eight innings on the road, allowing four runs and nine hits while striking out six. Joe Saunders (13-5, 3.10) threw 6 2/3 innings that game, allowing two runs and six hits, but didn't factor in the decision. Saunders, a first-time All-Star, has held opponents to three or less runs in nine of his last 10 starts and is 1-0 with a 3.55 ERA in two starts against the Red Sox. Anaheim swept Boston in a three-game set in the first series of the second half, enjoying a 20-8 run advantage.

San Francisco (44-62) at LA Dodgers (53-53), 7:10 p.m.

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Dodgers have surged into contention in the National League West Division on the strength of their pitching. Righthander Chad Billingsley (10-9, 3.26 ERA) tries to lead the Dodgers to their fifth win in six games on Wednesday against the San Francisco Giants. Los Angeles enters the series finale one game behind the Arizona Diamondbacks for first place in the NL West thanks to a staff, which ranks first in the NL and third in the majors with a 3.72 ERA and has held opponents scoreless in three of their last four games. Billingsley, who ranks third in the NL with 137 strikeouts, has also been a huge part of the success of the rotation, winning six of his last eight starts while surrendering two runs or fewer five times over that span. The 24-year-old allowed two runs and five hits in 7 2/3 innings, walking three while striking out four en route to a 3-2 victory over the Washington Nationals on Friday. Jonathan Sanchez (8-6, 4.46) tries to end a dismal stretch . Sanchez has yet to post a victory in July after winning five of his six starts in June. The 25-year-old lefthander is 0-2 with an 8.47 ERA this month as the Giants have dropped each of his last four outings.

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LA Angels (65-40) at Boston (61-46), 4:05 pm

BOSTON (Ticker) -- Oddly enough, John Lackey's best start this month came against the Boston Red Sox. Lackey takes the hill Tuesday for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim looking to duplicate his rare success against Boston in the middle-game of a three-game series. Lackey (8-2, 3.02 ERA) returned from a six-week stint on the disabled list in June and went 6-1 with a 1.44 ERA, but has struggled since. The Angels' ace has won two straight starts, but has a 7.61 ERA in four outings this month. Ironically, Lackey's best effort came against the Red Sox, who have owned him throughout his career. He allowed three runs and five hits in seven innings of an 11-3 win over Boston on July 18 to improve to 2-6 with a 6.01 ERA in 12 starts vs. the Red Sox. While Lackey has struggled against Boston, his team has not. Casey Kotchman and Torii Hunter each homered during a six-run sixth innings as the Angels posted a 7-5 victory on Monday. Anaheim has won six of the seven meetings between the teams and has the best record in all of baseball, prompting Red Sox manager Terry Francona to say, "They might be the class of the American League right now." Clay Buchholz (2-5, 5.81), who opposed Lackey in the last meeting, takes the hill for Boston and is looking to snap a personal three-game skid. Buchholz, who was recalled from Class AAA Pawtucket on July 11, is seeking his first win since May 7. On Wednesday, the 23-year-old righthander allowed three runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings of a 6-3 loss to Seattle.

San Francisco (44-61) at LA Dodgers (52-53), 7:10 p.m.

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- The San Francisco Giants got their offense back on track just in time to avoid a fourth straight loss. The Giants look to continue the hit parade on Tuesday when they continue their series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. San Francisco entered Monday's series opener after scoring just eight runs over its previous four games. However, the Giants nearly equaled that number against the Dodgers, who had not allowed a single run in its previous 19 1.3 innings, forging a 7-6 victory to end the Dodgers' three-game winning streak. Fred Lewis, Jose Castillo and starter Kevin Correia all had two RBI for the Giants, who struck for five runs in the fourth inning to forge a 7-0 lead. The Dodgers narrowed the deficit to one before San Francisco's bullpen slammed the door with 3 2/3 scoreless innings of relief, capped by closer Brian Wilson's 28th save of the season. Matt Cain (6-8, 3.82 ERA) tries to continue the strong pitching when he takes the mound for the Giants on Tuesday. Cain snapped a two-game personal losing streak during his last start, registering his first shutout of 2008 during Thursday's 1-0 victory against the Nationals. The 23-year-old righthander allowed just four hits while striking out four without yielding a walk. Jason Johnson (0-0, 2.57) makes his first start of the season when he counters for the Dodgers. The 34-year-old journeyman has surrendered two runs and five hits in seven innings during a pair of relief appearances since being recalled from Class AAA Las Vegas on July 19. Johnson took the roster spot of Takashi Saito after the closer was placed on the 15-day disabled list July 18 with a right elbow sprain.

SoCal MLB Preview

LA Angels (64-40) at Boston (61-45), 4:05 pm

BOSTON (Ticker) -- Manny Ramirez became the most proficient RBI producer from the Dominican Republic in baseball history on Sunday. Of course, all anyone wanted to talk about where his new home might be. With Ramirez once again feeling unappreciated and possibly on the trading block, the Boston Red Sox begin a pivotal three-game set against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on Monday. On Sunday, Ramirez made headlines - as he has countless times in recent years - by saying he would waive his limited no-trade clause if Boston could make a deal because he was "tired" of them and the team is tired of him. Then, in his typical fashion, he showed his employer Sunday night why a trade may not be in their best interest, going 3-for-5 with two RBI in a 9-2 win over the New York Yankees. "We will cross that bridge when we get there," Boston third baseman Mike Lowell said. "Manny says a lot of things, some of them are entertaining, some of them make you roll your eyes and spin your head, but it seems every time he says something, he goes 3-for-4. So maybe we should encourage him to say something like that. But it is a weird situation and I'm glad I'm not the one who has to make those decisions." The RBI pushed Ramirez into sole possession of 22nd on the all-time RBI list with 1,669, breaking his previous tie with Sammy Sosa as the most prolific RBI producer from the Dominican Republic. While the Red Sox handle that tenuous situation, they must also deal with the arrival of Anaheim, which owns the best record in the majors. Boston would like nothing more than to avenge the Angels' three-game home sweep of it coming out of the All-Star break. To do so, they'll turn to Daisuke Matsuzaka (11-1, 2.63 ERA), who has been the Red Sox's best pitcher of late, going 3-0 with a 0.88 ERA over his last five starts. The righthander notched his second win in as many outings in Tuesday's 4-2 victory at Seattle, allowing two runs and five hits with six strikeouts over 7 1/3 frames. Anaheim will counter with Jered Weaver (8-8, 4.08), who will make his 21st start of the season on Monday, six days after leaving his last outing after 77 pitches due to back tightness. Over three frames, the righthander two runs and three hits in Tuesday's 3-2 win over Cleveland, failing to pitch enough innings to qualify for the win.

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LA Angels (64-39) at Baltimore (48-55), 10:35 am

BALTIMORE (Ticker) -- The Baltimore Orioles aim to snap a 16-game Sunday losing streak when they wrap up a three-game series with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. The Orioles, who have lost six straight overall, have not won on Sunday since April 6. Baltimore has a ways to go before reaching the major-league record of 21 straight losses on a specific day. The 1939 St. Louis Browns and 1890 Pittsburgh Innocents both did it on Tuesdays. The Orioles are having trouble winning no matter what day it is, and Garrett Olson (6-5, 6.11 ERA) is not the ideal candidate to put an end to both their streaks. The lefthander 1-4 with an 8.62 ERA in his last eight games and has not won since June 28. Olson isn't the only Baltimore starter struggling. Orioles starters have an ERA of 10.23 during their current five-game skid. On Saturday, rookie Radhames Liz was rocked for six runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings of an 11-4 loss. Los Angeles, which has won four straight, hands the ball to Ervin Santana (11-4, 3.37)., who seems to have solved his road woes, as he is 8-1 with a 3.44 ERA in 12 starts away from Angel Stadium this season. Last season, the righthander went 1-10 with an 8.38 ERA on the road.

Washington (38-66) at LA Dodgers (51-52), 1:10 pm

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Casey Blake already is having an effect on the Los Angeles Dodgers' slumping offense. Blake will try and help the Dodgers complete three-game sweep of the Washington Nationals on Sunday. The 34-year-old third baseman was acquired from Cleveland on Saturday for a pair of prospects and had two hits and scored a run in his debut, a 6-0 win. Derek Lowe tossed eight dominant innings and Matt Kemp homered for the Dodgers, who nearly matched their offensive output from the previous three games. Blake was leading Cleveland with a .289 average and 58 RBI prior to the trade. The veteran was acquired to spark an offense that ranks 24th in baseball in runs scored with 435. While the Dodgers have struggled to score, they are nowhere as bad as the Nationals. Washington was held to two hits on Saturday, and is last in baseball with 388 runs. That bodes well for rookie lefthander Clayton Kershaw (0-3, 5.18 ERA), who was knocked around on Tuesday after being recalled from Class AAA Las Vegas. The seventh overall pick of the 2006 draft, Kershaw allowed five runs and 10 hits in three innings of a 10-1 loss to Colorado on Tuesday. Washington, which has lost eight straight here, counters with Jason Bergmann (1-7, 4.21). Bergman is 0-6 with a 3.26 ERA in his last 11 starts. The Nationals have lost 15 of 19 and are owners of the worst record in baseball.

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LA Angels (63-39) at Baltimore (48-54), 4:05 pm

BALTIMORE (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim keep rolling while the Baltimore Orioles' surprising first half success has caught up to them. The Angels, who own the best record in the majors, take on the struggling Orioles on Saturday with hopes of winning their seventh game in eight tries during the second half. Juan Rivera and Casey Kotchman homered to lead the Angels to a 6-5 victory on Friday, but it wasn't easy. All-Star Joe Saunders threw well until he hit a wall in the seventh and closer Francisco Rodriguez nearly failed to notch his 43rd save. The Orioles lost their fourth game in a row and have fallen into the American League East Division's basement by 3 1/2 games behind the Toronto Blue Jays. Jon Garland (8-6, 4.12 ERA) will take the mound for Anaheim with his sights set on improving to 4-0 in seven starts against AL East opponents. Garland is coming off a no-decision against the Boston Red Sox in which he surrendered three runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings. Baltimore will counter with Radhames Liz (4-2, 7.19), who beat the Blue Jays on Monday and will try to erase an awful outing on Friday by starter Brian Burres. Burres recorded five outs in a 6-5 loss to the Angels, a decision that marked the fifth time in his last 11 starts that he's allowed at least two home runs. The southpaw's ERA has gone up by more than two runs (from 3.16 to 5.37) over that span, and he's logged an ERA over 6.00 in each of the last two months (7.20 in June and 6.75 thus far through July). Burres also marked the seventh straight outing that an Oriole starter has been pulled before completing six innings. Melvin Mora hopes to get back on his his recent tear. Mora was 9-for-17 over four games before going 0-for-4 on Friday.

Washington (38-65) at Los Angeles (50-52), 7:10 p.m.

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Dodgers rotation has had no trouble against one of the worst offenses in the majors. The Dodgers look to continue that trend on Saturday when they resume their home series against the Washington Nationals. Chad Billingsley allowed just two runs in 7 2/3 innings on Friday, helping the Dodgers claim a 3-2 victory over the Nationals and lower the team's National League-leading ERA to 3.79 this season. Billingsley had no problem shutting down the Nationals lowly offense, which ranks last in the majors this campaign with 388 runs and a dismal .243 batting average. Derek Lowe (7-8, 3.97 ERA) tries to keep Washington in check and help Los Angeles claim its eighth straight home victory against the Nationals when he takes the mound on Saturday. Lowe, who has won all four career starts against Washington, has won each of his last two decisions but allowed four runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings on Sunday. The veteran righthander walked three and struck out six, but did not factor in the decision during a 6-5 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks. Odalis Perez (3-7, 3.99) faces his former team when he counters for the Nationals. Perez, who was a member of the Dodgers for parts of five seasons beginning in 2002, snapped a personal three-game losing streak despite surrendering five runs and nine hits in five innings during Washington's 15-6 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Sunday.

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LA Dodgers (49-50) at Colorado (43-58), 6:05 pm

DENVER (Ticker) -- The All-Star break and a trip to Coors Field appear to be just what the Los Angeles Dodgers needed to get their sluggish offense rolling. The Dodgers attempt to continue their offensive resurgence on Tuesday when they continue their three-game set against the Colorado Rockies. Los Angeles entered the All-Star break last Tuesday with 390 runs, the fifth-worst total in the majors. In 46 of its 95 games leading up to the break, the team scored three runs or less, going 8-38 in those outings. The second half of the season is off to a good start, however, as the Dodgers have found some uncharacteristic offense - scoring 32 runs in four contests and going 3-1 over that span. This resurgence was highlighted by a 16-10 triumph over the Rockies in Monday's series opener at Coors Field, where the Dodgers have scored 41 runs in four games this season. The Dodgers will try to climb back to the .500 mark for the first time since they were 27-27 on May 30 when they send rookie Clayton Kershaw (0-2, 4.42 ERA) to the mound. The team's top prospect, who is still seeking his first major league victory, went 2-0 with a 1.00 ERA in three minor league starts this month after being optioned on July 2. Colorado will answer with Ubaldo Jimenez (5-9, 4.20), who has a 7.32 ERA in four starts against Los Angeles despite his 2-0 record against the club. The 24-year-old righthander won for the third time in four starts in Thursday's 5-3 win over Pittsburgh after allowing three runs and five hits over seven innings.

Cleveland (44-54) at LA Angels (60-39), 10:05 pm

ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on Monday looked nothing like the team that swept the Boston Red Sox in the first series of the second half. The Angels hope to get back on track and build on the best record in the major leagues on Tuesday, after dropping the opener of a three-game set against the Cleveland Indians. Behind the solid pitching of Paul Byrd and solo homers by Andy Marte, Casey Blake and Jhonny Peralta, the Indians rolled to a 5-2 triumph. Ervin Santana struck out eight in seven solid innings, but suffered the loss. Jered Weaver (8-8, 4.03 ERA) will take the mound for Anaheim in his first start against the Indians this season. In his career, he is 1-1 with a 5.09 ERA. The 25-year-old righthander has surrendered two runs or less in four straight starts. Cleveland will counter with Matt Ginter (1-0, 0.00), who made his first start since 2005 on July 12 against the Tampa Bay Rays in which he allowed five hits in five scoreless innings. He appears to be the odd-man out of the rotation, though, when Fausto Carmona returns from injury this week. Blake is 9-for-23 over his last six games, while smacking two homers and seven RBI in that span.

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Cleveland (43-54) at LA Angels (60-38), 7:05 pm

ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim showed why they own the best record in baseball by sweeping the Boston Red Sox in the first series of the second half. All-Star Ervin Santana will look to keep the Angels rolling when he faces the struggling Cleveland Indians in the opener of a three-game set on Monday. Santana (11-3, 3.34 ERA) has thrown at least seven innings in four of his last five starts and is coming off a dominant outing against the Oakland Athletics in which he struck out 10 in seven scoreless frames. Casey Kotchman hit a two-run double to cap a three-run rally in the eighth inning of Sunday's 5-3 victory over Boston and Francisco Rodriguez notched his major league-leading 40th save by pitching a perfect ninth. The Angels outscored the Red Sox, 15-5, in the two wins on Friday and Saturday. Cleveland, though owning the second-worst record in the American League, is coming off a three-game series win over the lowly Seattle Mariners. All-Star Game starter Cliff Lee tossed a complete game and became the AL's first 13-game winner by allowing two runs en route to a 6-2 triumph on Sunday. Paul Byrd (3-10, 5.47) will look to match such production and snap a personal five-game skid. Grady Sizemore leads the AL in home runs and has 22 stolen bases. Teammate Casey Blake was 4-for-10 with a homer and three RBI in the series against Seattle.

Los Angeles (48-50) at Colorado (43-57), 6:05 pm

DENVER (Ticker) -- The Colorado Rockies look to continue their winning ways when they host the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first game of a three-game set at Coors Field on Monday. Colorado is coming off a four-game sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates over the weekend and can match a season high with another victory on Monday. The Rockies outscored the Pirates, 28-9, in the four games, including an 11-3 triumph on Sunday. Kip Wells (1-1, 2.29 ERA) hopes to continue Colorado's momentum when he makes his first start in nearly three months. Wells has been sidelined since April 28 with a blood clot in his right hand. The righthander has struggled in his career against the Dodgers, going 0-3 in five games - four starts - with a 5.88 ERA. Los Angeles won two out of three over the Arizona Diamondbacks over the weekend, including a come-from-behind 6-5 victory on Sunday. The Dodgers scored five runs in the top of the ninth after trailing, 4-1. With the win, Los Angeles (48-50) pulled into a tie with Arizona for first place in the National League West. Winless in his last three starts, Eric Stults (2-2, 2.67) will take the hill for the Dodgers. The 28-year-old lefthander gave up three runs over six innings in his last outing, losing a 3-1 decision to the Florida Marlins with July 11. The Dodgers have won six of the first nine meetings between the two teams this season.

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Boston (57-42) at LA Angels (59-38), 3:05 p.m., ESPN

ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- The Boston Red Sox hope to avoid a sweep and end their road woes Sunday when they visit the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the finale of a three-game series. The Red Sox have proven to be nearly unbeatable at Fenway Park this season, posting a major league-best 36-11 record while batting .297 as a team. But the road has not been as kind, with Saturday's 4-2 loss dropping Boston to 21-31 away from Fenway. Boston's team batting average dropped to .268 on the road. The Red Sox were in position to win Saturday, carrying a 2-0 lead into the seventh with ace Josh Beckett on the mound. But Vladimir Guerrero led off the seventh with a solo homer and pinch hitter Erick Aybar hit a bases-loaded triple to put the Angels on top, 4-2. The victory was the fourth in a row for Anaheim, which took the series opener, 11-3, on Friday. Boston will try to snap its four-game road losing streak Sunday behind knuckleballer Tim Wakefield (6-6, 3.60 ERA). The veteran righthander has been one of the best pitchers in the American League over the past two months, going 3-3 with a 2.13 ERA while holding opponents to a .176 batting average over his last nine starts. Anaheim counters with righthander Jon Garland (8-6, 4.20), who had his turn in the rotation pushed back a day due to neck stiffness. Garland has not pitched since allowing seven runs in just 2 2/3 innings to absorb a loss at Oakland on July 11. Garland earned a win at Boston on April 23, allowing four runs in six innings as the Angels went on to a 6-4 victory.

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Boston (57-41) at LA Angels (58-38), 12:55 p.m.

ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- The Boston Red Sox will be looking to snap a three-game road slide when they visit the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on Saturday. The best home team in the American League at 36-11, the Red Sox have struggled to a 21-30 mark away from Fenway Park, including losses in eight of their last 10. The Angels made it look easy in the series opener on Friday, pounding a rusty-looking Boston club, 11-3. The Red Sox sent seven players to the All-Star Game Tuesday and traveled to Anaheim on Thursday's off day for the beginning of their third West Coast trip of the season. Garret Anderson certainly showed no rust for the Angels, driving in five runs with his first four-hit performance of the season. Ace Josh Beckett (9-5, 3.94 ERA) will try to slow Anderson and turn Boston's road fortunes. The righthander won his last two starts but surrendered five runs in five innings against Minnesota on July 9 - his second shortest outing of the season. Beckett has not faced Anaheim since last season's Division Series, when he he allowed four hits in a shutout, striking out eight and not issuing a walk. The Angels will counter with All-Star lefthander Joe Saunders (12-5, 3.07). The 27-year-old allowed one hit in a scoreless frame Tuesday in the Midsummer Classic, and is 3-0 with a 2.92 ERA in four career starts against the Red Sox.

Los Angeles (47-49) at Arizona (47-49), 5:10 p.m

PHOENIX (Ticker) -- Hitting coach Don Mattingly is already making an impression on the Los Angeles Dodgers. After pulling into a tie for the top spot in the National League West Division, the Dodgers look to seize sole possession of first place Saturday when they continue their series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Mattingly, who took over for Mike Easler and made his debut in the dugout on Friday, watched Los Angeles pound four home runs - including two from Nomar Garciaparra and a game-winner by James Loney in the 11th inning - in an 8-7 victory during the series opener. The scoring outburst was unusual for Los Angeles, which entered Friday's game with 65 homers - tied with the Toronto Blue Jays for the second-worst total in the majors - and 390 runs, the fifth-worst mark in baseball. "We want a better approach team wise," Mattingly said. "We want to be able to attack people with what the guys are doing and have an understanding what that pitcher does, not give in to his strengths (and) make him come to us a little bit more. You got some veterans who know what they are doing and other young guys who need to keep refining their game. And that's what we are trying to do." The Dodgers look to continue the hit parade against Diamondbacks starter Dan Haren (8-5, 2.72 ERA). Haren has been outstanding of late, allowing two runs or less in each of his last six outings. The 27-year-old righthander allowed just two runs - one earned - and three hits, walking two while striking out nine but did not factor in the decision during Arizona's 7-5 victory over the Washington Nationals on July 10. Chad Billingsley (9-8, 3.25) looks to to earn his sixth win in his last seven starts when he toes the rubber for the Dodgers. Billingsley has posted a 2.33 ERA in his previous six outings, striking out 38 in 33.1 innings over that span.

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LA Dodgers (46-49) at Arizona (47-48), 6:40 p.m.

PHOENIX (Ticker) -- National League West supremacy is on the line when the Arizona Diamondbacks host the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday. Despite a sub-.500 record, the Diamondbacks hold a one-game edge over the Dodgers. Arizona owned the best record in the majors after the first month of the season, but has gone 27-40 since. Los Angeles had a golden opportunity to take over the top spot before the All-Star break but lost three of four to the Florida Marlins. The Dodgers hope righthander Hiroki Kuroda (5-6, 3.43 ERA) can pull them even. After tossing 16 scoreless frames in his previous two starts, Kuroda did not receive a decision in Saturday's 5-3 loss to the Marlins. He gave up three runs and seven hits with five strikeouts. Arizona will counter with lefthander Doug Davis (3-4, 3.80). The 32-year-old Davis has one win since May 23, posting a 1-3 record with a 4.14 ERA in nine starts over that stretch.

Boston (57-40) at LA Angels (57-38),7:05 p.m.

ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- The Boston Red Sox enter the second half in control of the American League East , but they have plenty of room for improvement ... especially on the road. The defending World Series champions return from the All-Star break on Friday when they open a series against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Boston (57-40) seized a one-half game lead over the struggling Tampa Bay Rays (55-39) on Sunday, forging a 2-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles. All-Stars J.D. Drew and Dustin Pedroia drove in the runs as the Red Sox improved to 36-11 at home. While Boston has been unstoppable at Fenway Park, it wears a 21-29 away record - the second-worst road mark for a first-place team. Fresh off his All-Star MVP award, Drew will try to help the Red Sox reverse that trend. The 32-year-old right fielder is batting .302 with 17 home runs and 55 RBI and has helped fill the void left by an injured David Ortiz, who is eyeing a July 25 return from a torn tendon sheath in his left wrist. Rookie Clay Buchholz (2-4, 5.70 ERA) makes his second start for the Red Sox after returning to the rotation following a two-month stint in the minors. Buchholz allowed four runs and five hits while walking five last Friday, but did strike out six en route to a 7-3 loss to the Orioles. John Lackey (6-2, 2.46) counters for the Angels, who own a six-game lead in the AL West . After missing the opening month with a strained triceps, Lackey has bounced back by allowing 11 runs over his first nine starts. However, the 29-year-old righthander has surrendered 11 earned runs in his last two starts, including six and 15 hits in just 5 2/3 innings in his previous outing. He did not factor in the decision though as the Angels rallied for an 11-10 victory against the Texas Rangers on July 10.

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LA Angels (56-38) at Oakland (51-43), 1:05 pm

OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- All-Star Justin Duchscherer makes his final start of the season's first half on Sunday as the Oakland Athletics host the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the rubber match of a three-game series. Duchscherer (10-5, 1.78 ERA) leads the major leagues in ERA and will enter the second half among the candidates to snatch the American League Cy Young award. Angels starter Joe Saunders (12-5, 3.07) finds himself in that class, too. The 27-year-old All-Star has allowed three runs or less in eight of his past 10 starts and hopes to stymie the Athletics for the second time this month. On July 2, he threw 6 1/3 innings, allowing just two earned runs and six hits. Duchscherer faced the Angels on May 1 and suffered his worst start of the year by surrendering six runs in five innings. On Friday, Oakland was supported by newly acquired starter Sean Gallagher, who was a part of the package the Chicago Cubs sent in exchange for Rich Harden and Chad Gaudin this week. The 22-year-old threw seven brilliant innings en route to a 9-2 victory. Ervin Santana, however, shut down the Athletics on Saturday, allowing just five hits in seven scoreless innings in the Angels' 4-1 win. Howie Kendrick, who saw his nine-game hitting streak come to an end on Friday, collected two hits and an RBI on Saturday for the Angels.

Florida (49-44) at LA Dodgers (45-49), 1:10 pm

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Having climbed within one game of first place, the Florida Marlins look to complete a four-game sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday. Dan Uggla drove in the go-ahead run with a double in the 11th inning Saturday as the Marlins extended their winning streak to four games with a 5-3 victory. A win on Sunday will give Florida its first road sweep of the Dodgers in franchise history. Overall, the Marlins have won six of their last seven games. Florida starts lefthander Andrew Miller (5-8, 5.09 ERA), who is hoping to snap a personal three-game losing streak. Los Angeles counters with righthander Chad Billingsley (8-8, 3.38), who surrendered six runs - five earned - in Tuesday's 9-3 loss to the Atlanta Braves. The Dodgers have lost four of their last five contests. Florida last swept Los Angeles at home from September 6-8, 1999.

SoCal MLB Preview

LA Angels (55-38) at Oakland (51-42), 6:05 pm

OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- Ervin Santana is hoping a start against the Oakland Athletics can help him get back on track. Santana takes the mound for the Angels on Saturday when the club continues a three-game series against the A's. A 25-year-old righthander, Santana (10-3, 3.53 ERA) was selected to his first All-Star game this week although his recent performances have been less than stellar. Santana is 1-0 over his last three starts but has surrendered 12 runs in 20 innings over that span. He allowed six runs and 10 hits in seven innings during his last outing, but still earned the win as the Angels posted a 9-6 victory over the Texas Rangers on Monday. There is good news - Santana has dominated Oakland during his career, logging an 8-1 record and 1.49 ERA in 12 lifetime starts against the A's, which includes a1-0 mark and 1.80 ERA in three outings this season. Rookie Dana Eveland (7-5, 3.50) seeks his fourth straight win when he counters for Oakland, which trails the Angels by four games for the top spot in the American League West Division.

Florida (49-44) at LA Dodgers (45-48), 7:10pm

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- With wins in nine of his last 10 starts, Ricky Nolasco has been one of the hottest pitchers in baseball. However, he hasn't come anywhere as close to perfection as Hiroki Kuroda did his last time out. Two of the hotter pitchers in baseball will face off on Saturday when Nolasco and the Florida Marlins continue their four-game series with Kuroda's Los Angeles Dodgers. After his seventh start of the season on May 3, Nolasco (10-4, 3.74 ERA) owned a 1-3 record with a 6.10 ERA. Since that time, the righthander has been one of the best pitchers in the majors as he has rolled to a 5-0 record with a 1.81 ERA over his last six outings. While he hasn't had the prolonged success of Nolasco, Kuroda (5-6, 3.39) is coming off his finest performance in a Dodgers uniform. The rookie righthander dominated Atlanta in Monday's 3-0 win, taking a perfect game into the eighth inning before the Braves' Mark Teixeira opened the frame with a double. It was the only hit allowed by Kuroda, who struck out six to win for the third time in four starts. He's also shown no signs of the right shoulder tendinitis that sidelined him last month. Kuroda, who already owns a win in his only other appearance against the Marlins, will be facing a Florida team that leads the majors in home runs (134) and has hit at least one longball in 13 straight games.

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Los Angeles (55-37) at Oakland (50-42), 7:05 p.m.

OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim can extend their lead in the American League West Division this weekend provided their bats don't go silent again. The Angels offense looks to stay red-hot when they visit the Oakland Athletics on Friday in the opener of a three-game series. Anaheim (55-37), which owns a five-game lead atop the AL West, lost four of its final five games in June after scoring one run or less in each of those setbacks. However, the Angels have gone 6-3 in July by scoring nearly 6.5 runs per game and are coming off their highest output since May 18 as they forged an 11-10 victory in 11 innings over the Texas Rangers on Thursday. Sean Gallagher tries to cool the Angels when he makes his first start for the Athletics on Friday. Acquired in the deal that sent former A's ace Rich Harden to the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday, Gallagher posted a 3-4 record and 4.45 ERA in 12 games - 10 starts - this season. The 22-year-old righthander has made three starts against AL teams this season but owns an 0-1 record while yielding eight runs in 17 total innings against the Chicago White Sox, Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays. Jon Garland (8-5, 3.76 ERA) goes for his third win in his last four starts when he takes the mound for the Angels. Garland is coming off his first complete game of the season, allowing just one run and six hits while striking out three during Sunday's 7-1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.

Florida (48-44) at Los Angeles (45-47), 7:40 pm

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- All-Star Hanley Ramirez will attempt to lead the Florida Marlins to their fifth win in six contests when they face the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday. Ramirez collected five hits and delivered the game-winning home run in the 11th inning as the Marlins defeated the Dodgers, 5-4, on Thursday in the series opener of this four-game series. The 24-year-old Ramirez hit a first-pitch fastball over the right-center field wall off reliever Brian Falkenborg (1-2) with two outs. He went 5-for-6 with three singles, a double and the decisive home run. The National League starter at shortstop for the Midsummer Classic, Ramirez leads Florida with a .312 batting average and 23 home runs this season. Uggla, who went 0-for-3 on Thursday in his first game back after an 11-game absence, also has 23 blasts. Los Angeles hopes lefthander Eric Stults (2-1, 2.22 ERA) can shutdown the talented Marlins' offense and erase the sting of Thursday's extra-inning loss. Stults, who will be making his fifth start of the season and 12th career, gave up two runs - one earned - and seven hits with two walks and four strikeouts over four innings during Sunday's 5-3 triumph over the San Francisco Giants. Florida will counter with Chris Volstad (0-0, 0.00), who is making his first career start. In his only other major league appearance, the 21-year-old righthander tossed two scoreless frames of relief in Sunday's 10-5 win over the Colorado Rockies.

SoCal MLB Preview

LA Angels (54-36) at Texas (47-44), 5:05 pm

ARLINGTON, Texas (Ticker) -- The Texas Rangers likely knew coming into the season their pitching would be a question. Never could they have expected to be in a situation like this, however. Michael Ballard will become the second Rangers' pitcher to make his major league debut in as many days when the club continues its four-game series with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Texas, which is last in the American League with a staff ERA of 5.00, will turn to its 12th different starting pitcher this season on Wednesday. No other team has sent that many starters to the mound this year. Some of that turnover has been created because the team was forced to place Vicente Padilla (neck, thumb), Kason Gabbard (elbow) and Eric Hurley (hamstring) on the disabled list. Ballard has spent all season with Class AA Frisco, where he was 8-3 with a 3.97 ERA in 15 starts. No team has seen a pair of starters make their debut in back-to-back starts since the Milwaukee Brewers in 2002. Texas would be quite happy if Ballard could repeat the effort of Matt Harrison, who allowed two runs and five hits over seven innings in Tuesday's 3-2 win over the Angels. He'll have his hands full against Jered Weaver (8-8, 4.17 ERA), who has been particularly sharp over his last three outings - allowing two runs or less in each start. In Friday's 8-2 victory over Toronto, the righthander collected a win after yielding two runs and six hits with six strikeouts over 7.1 innings.

Atlanta (43-48) at LA Dodgers (44-46), 7:10 pm

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Brian McCann attempts to follow up his first multi-homer game in nearly a year on Wednesday as the Atlanta Braves meet the Los Angeles Dodgers in the rubber match of their three-game set. Atlanta, which narrowly avoided a perfect game by Hiroki Kuroda on Monday, was held hitless through four innings on Tuesday by Chad Billingsley. Another slow start figured to spell doom for the Braves, who had scored eight total runs over their last six losses. However, a three-run double in the fifth by Yunel Escobar broke open a scoreless tie before McCann hit the first of two solo homers for his first multi-homer game since July 13, 2007. Tim Hudson (9-6, 3.19 ERA) hopes McCann and the Braves can repeat the offensive display when he takes the mound in the series finale. The righthander yielded just one run and four hits over seven frames in Friday's 6-2 win over Houston, striking out six to win for the second time in three outings. The Dodgers, who will be chasing their fourth straight series win, will counter with Derek Lowe (6-8, 4.02). In Friday's 10-7 win in San Francisco, the sinkerballer surrendered five runs - four earned - and eight hits over five innings.

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LA Angels (54-35) at Texas (46-44), 5:05 pm

ARLINGTON, Texas (Ticker) -- Joe Saunders will try to slow down the potent Texas Rangers lineup on Tuesday when he takes the mound for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Ervin Santana, who - along with Saunders - was selected to his first All-Star Game on Sunday, collected his 10th win of the season in Monday's series opener, but not before surrendering six runs and 10 hits as Texas nearly rallied from an 8-0 second-inning deficit. If Saunders (12-4, 3.04 ERA) can duplicate Santana's result, he would - at the very least - keep pace with Arizona's Brandon Webb (12-4), who will also be eyeing his 13th win when he takes the mound vs. Washington. The lefthander recorded his third win over his last four starts in Wednesday's 7-4 victory over Oakland after allowing four runs - two earned - and six hits with five strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings. Saunders stands a great chance at winning No. 13 if he can maintain his success on the road, where he is 6-2 with a 2.05 ERA this season. Standing in his way will be Matt Harrison, who will be making his major league debut after being acquired at the trade deadline last season in the deal that sent Mark Teixeira to Atlanta. The 22-year-old lefthander has split time between Class AA Frisco and Class AAA Oklahoma this season, going a combined 6-3 with a 3.43 ERA in 15 starts.

Atlanta (42-48) at LA Dodgers (44-45), 7:10 pm

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- One day after Hiroki Kuroda tossed a one-hit gem, the Atlanta Braves will have to figure out how to manage some offense against the Los Angeles Dodgers' hottest pitcher, Chad Billingsley. Billingsley will try to keep the Dodgers rolling in July on Tuesday when they they continue their three-game set against the Braves. Los Angeles defeated Atlanta, 3-0, in Monday's series opener behind Kuroda's one-hitter as Los Angeles won for the sixth time in seven games this month. The 33-year-old Japanese righthander took a perfect game into the eighth inning before Mark Teixeira - the only Atlanta baserunner - opened the eighth with a double. Even though it will be tough to follow such an act, Billingsley (8-7, 3.12 ERA) is likely the most likely to repeat such a performance as he will aiming for his fifth win in as many starts. The 23-year-old righthander has been particularly sharp lately, striking out 25 over 26.1 innings over his last four outings for a 1.37 ERA. In his last start, Billingsley yielded two unearned runs and six hits over eight innings, striking out five in a 5-2 win at Houston on Thursday. Atlanta will counter with rookie Jair Jurrjens (8-4, 3.09), who will look to rebound from his first loss in nine starts. The righthander surrendered four runs - including a season-worst three homers - and eight hits over seven frames in Thursday's 4-1 loss vs. Philadelphia.

SoCal MLB Preview

LA Angels (53-35) at Texas Rangers (46-43), 5:05 pm

ARLINGTON, Texas (Ticker) -- Ervin Santana hopes to further validate his All-Star selection as the Los Angeles Angels take on the Texas Rangers in the opener of a four-game series on Monday. Santana (9-3, 3.28) will take the mound for the Angels, who have won four of their last five games, with hopes of slowing Ian Kinsler's hot bat. The Rangers' second baseman, who was also named to the American League All-Star roster, is riding a 18-game hitting streak and leads the AL with a .332 batting average. Kinsler went 3-for-5 with a walk on Sunday to finish 7-for-13 with three walks, scoring five runs in Texas' series against the Baltimore Orioles. His current hitting streak is one short of his career high, set earlier this season. Santana will join teammates Francisco Rodriguez and Joe Saunders in the "Midsummer Classic", marking the first time in the Angels' 41-year history they will have three representatives on the mound. Shortstop Michael Young (groin) was a late scratch on Sunday and Bradley, one of four Texas players selected to the AL All-Star team, left in the sixth with left knee tendinitis, but the injury is not considered serious. Rangers starter Luis Mendoza (1-2, 4.64) is coming off a no-decision against the New York Yankees in which he allowed six runs (one earned) and four hits in 4 2/3 innings.

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LA Dodgers (42-44) at San Francisco (38-49), 6:05pm

SAN FRANCISCO (Ticker) -- In the mediocre National League West, any team that gets on a roll can make a run up the standings very quickly. Over the last week, the Los Angeles Dodgers have done exactly that. The Dodgers eye their fifth straight win on Saturday when they continue their three-game set with the San Francisco Giants. Arizona (43-44) leads Los Angeles by a half-game in the NL West, which is the only division in the majors that does not feature a team with a winning record. With their recent run, the Dodgers are trying to change that with victories in six of their last eight games. Since falling to a season-low seven games (31-38) under .500 on June 15, Los Angeles is 11-6 and has trimmed five games off Arizona's divisional lead. Two of those wins were credited two Chan Ho Park (4-2, 2.45 ERA), who will make his fourth start of the season Saturday. The righthander, who threw 1 1/3 scoreless frames to get the decision in a relief outing in Tuesday's 7-6 win over Houston, is 1-0 with a 1.20 ERA in three starts this season, holding opponents to a .185 batting average. Park has yet to allow more than one earned run in any of his starts. The Giants will counter with Barry Zito (3-12, 5.99), who will hope to avoid his major league-high 13th loss, which would also match his career high. The lefthander took the loss in Monday's 9-2 setback to the Chicago Cubs when he surrendered five runs - four earned - and six hits with five walks over five innings.

Toronto (41-46) at LA Angels (52-34), 6:05pm

ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- Nobody is finishing what they start better than Roy Halladay this season. However, no one has been better lately than John Lackey. The Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim turn to their respective aces Saturday as the teams continue their three-game set. Halladay (9-6, 2.90 ERA) posted his 10th career shutout on Monday, allowing four singles in a 2-0 win over Seattle. The righthander, who threw his major league-best sixth complete game of the season, has twice as many such games than the three pitchers tied for second - Tampa Bay's James Shields, Cleveland's C.C. Sabathia and Milwaukee's Ben Sheets. None of that may make much of a difference the way Lackey (6-1, 1.44) has been pitching lately. The righthander was named American League Pitcher of the Month after going 5-0 with a 1.16 ERA in five June starts. Lackey, who has allowed one earned run or less in seven of his nine outings this season, was at his best on Saturday when he struck out a season-high nine - yielding just three hits and two walks - over 8 2/3 innings in a 1-0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

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LA Dodgers (41-44) at San Francisco (38-48) 4:05 pm

SAN FRANCISCO (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Dodgers get a boost on Friday when Nomar Garciaparra and Andruw Jones return from the disabled list for the opener of a three-game series against the San Francisco Giants. Garciaparra has been on the DL since April 26 with a strained left calf, while Jones has been nursing a right knee injury and has been sidelined since May 25. Garciaparra has played in just nine games this season, hitting .226 (7-for-31) with one home run and five RBI. The 34-year-old's return is crucial for Los Angeles as he is expected to return to shortstop after Rafael Furcal underwent back surgery on Thursday and will miss at least the next eight weeks. Jones, who signed a two-year, $36 million deal with the Dodgers in the offseason, is batting just .165 (22-for-133) with two home runs and seven RBI but was 4-for-8 with one home run during this week's rehab stint with Class AAA Las Vegas. Derek Lowe (5-8, 3.88 ERA) hopes the return of Garciaparra and Jones provides him with increased offensive production when he takes the mound for the Dodgers on Friday. Lowe is 1-3 over his last four starts but has received just five runs of support over that span. Jonathan Sanchez (8-4, 3.79), the reigning NL Player of the Week, counters for the Giants.

Toronto (41-45) at LA Angels (51-34), 6:05 pm

ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- Jered Weaver and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim seek their third straight victory when they begin a three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday, Anaheim took two of of three from American League West rival Oakland earlier this week and has opened a five-game lead on the second-place Athletics. Weaver (7-8, 4.30) takes the mound after suffering a 1-0 loss o the Los Angeles Dodgers last Saturday. What made the loss so strange was that Weaver and Anaheim bullpen allowed no hits in their eight total innings pitched. The game wasn't an official no-hitter because the Dodgers didn't bat in the ninth. The Blue Jays counter with A.J. Burnett (8-7, 4.74), who has won his last two starts. The righthander was superb last Sunday, yielding only four hits while striking out a season-high 11 in seven innings of a 1-0 victory over Atlanta. In two outings vs. the Angels this season, Burnett is 1-0, having allowed five runs and nine hits with 14 strikeouts in 14 innings. Toronto, which has lost nine of its last 11 road games, is 2-4 against Anaheim this season.