News
Saunders primed for Rangers' lineup
Los Angeles (18-15) at Texas (20-14), 5:05 p.m. PT
By Lyle Spencer / MLB.com
05/14/09 10:31 PM ET
ANAHEIM -- Joe Saunders realizes his numbers at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington are on the unattractive side: 0-3, 9.77 ERA in three starts. He also knows they don't reflect the whole story of how he has performed in the humid launching pad. "I had a pretty good game there last season," Saunders said, gearing up for a showdown with the American League West-leading Rangers. "I got the loss, but I pitched well." Saunders had an eight-inning complete game, yielding three earned runs on six hits without a walk on July 8, 2008. He struck out five men in a 3-2 loss. Overall, he's 3-3 against the Rangers with a 4.65 ERA. What bloats Saunders' career numbers in Texas are his two starts from 2006 and 2007. In August 2006, he lasted just 2 2/3 innings, surrendering eight runs (seven earned) on five hits and five walks. In September 2008, he once again yielded seven earned runs on nine hits and three walks across five innings. "What have I learned about pitching there?" Saunders said, repeating a question. "Keep that ball down. That's the big thing. And throwing strikes, not falling behind. That's also important." The Rangers are hot, having won 14 of the past 19 with back-to-back walk-off wins at home against the Mariners. Chris Davis' two-run homer turned a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 win on Thursday. The Rangers clearly love to hit in their home yard. The comparative splits are stunning. They have a .313 average at home compared to .250 on the road. On-base percentage: .380 at home, .292 on the road. Slugging: .553 at home, .441 on the road. "It's the best hitters' park in the league," Saunders said. The Angels have won seven of their past nine games in Texas' bandbox and have claimed the season series the past four years. Saunders, an American League All-Star in 2008, is making a case for another trip to the Midsummer Classic. He's coming off his first career shutout, a five-hit masterwork against the Royals, striking out six while walking one. Saunders has had only one subpar outing in seven, yielding five earned runs in five innings against the Tigers on April 22. With Ervin Santana returning to the rotation on Thursday and John Lackey set to make his season debut on Saturday, manager Mike Scioscia decided to give Saunders an extra day of rest. "The reason was twofold," Scioscia explained. "We wanted to split up Ervin and John until they're more ready to get deep in games, and we wanted to give Joe an extra day." Torii Hunter, Kendry Morales and Mike Napoli have provided the bulk of the power for the Angels this season, but their offense pales in this category to the Rangers' attack. Texas has produced a league-high 57 homers compared to 26 by the Angels. "You can't force it," said Bobby Abreu, who has contributed with walks, singles and steals but is looking for his first homer after 32 games, the longest homerless streak of his career to start a season. "You have to keep hitting the ball hard, and eventually you'll get a few to go out. It's coming." Pitching matchupLAA: LHP Joe Saunders (5-1, 2.66 ERA)
Back in All-Star form, Saunders is coming off his first career shutout, a five-hit, 1-0 blanking of the Royals on Saturday night. Saunders unloaded 101 pitches and was throwing 91-93-mph gas in the ninth inning, striking out Mark Teahen and Jose Guillen, giving him six punchouts for the night. Saunders' sinker and changeup resulted in a pair of ground-ball double plays to end innings as he outdueled Zack Greinke, handing the Royals' ace his first loss of the season. Saunders has had success against the Red Sox in his career, going 4-1 with a 3.25 ERA in seven outings. That one loss was his only defeat this season, a 5-4 setback on April 11, when he yielded four earned runs in seven innings. TEX: RHP Kevin Millwood (3-3, 2.92 ERA)
Millwood has pitched at least seven innings in seven straight games to open the season. The right-hander pitched well but absorbed the loss on Saturday night against the White Sox, giving up three earned runs on seven hits. In 11 career starts against the Angels, Millwood is 3-4 with a 3.82 ERA. Tidbits
Shortstop Erick Aybar has 11 hits in his past 24 at-bats, lifting his average to .303. ... Triples by Hunter, Aybar and Abreu on Thursday against Boston tied a club record, last done by Dave Winfield, Luis Polonia and Dick Schofield in 1991 at Cleveland. ... After their first losing month (April) in 16 months, the Angels are 9-3 in May. They've won 12 of their past 14 against the Red Sox in the regular season. New England will be quick to point out that doesn't include the Sox taking three of four last October in the AL Division Series. ... Hunter is a .336 career hitter against Boston after his triple, double and single. ... Darren Oliver owns a 1.23 ERA this season and has given up runs in only six of his past 36 appearances in relief. ... Reliever Jose Arredondo has 20 strikeouts against only four walks in 16 1/3 innings. Tickets
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• KLAA 830, KFWB, KWKW 1330 (Español) Up next
• Saturday: Angels (John Lackey, 0-0, -.--) at Rangers (Vicente Padilla, 2-2, 4.97), 1:10 p.m. PT
• Sunday: Angels (Jered Weaver, 3-1, 2.45) at Rangers (Scott Feldman, 2-0, 4.85), 11:05 a.m. PT
• Monday: Angels (Matt Palmer, 4-0, 3.38) at Mariners (Jarrod Washburn, 3-2, 3.11), 7:10 p.m. PT
Lyle Spencer is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
