The Los Angeles Angels (6-8) played the role of bad hosts on Tuesday night, as they pounded a hapless Oakland Athletics (7-8) team that just didn’t have it on the mound and at the plate. With game 3 of the series set to be played later, can Jered Weaver get his first win of the season at the expense of the A’s? Or will Oakland return the favor to the Halos by eking out a victory?
Speaking of Los Angeles, the Anaheim Ducks are on the verge of sweeping the Winnipeg Jets in their Stanley Cup Playoffs first round series. Click here for a detailed preview of that game.
[sc:MLBArticles ]Oakland Athletics vs. Los Angeles Angels Preview
Where: Angel Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim
When: Wednesday, April 22, 2015, 10:05 PM ET
Line: Oakland Athletics (-105) vs. Los Angeles Angels (-105); total: 7.5 – view all MLB lines
Betting on the Oakland Athletics
Coming off a soul-crushing 14-1 defeat on Tuesday against Los Angeles, the Athletics hope to recover from that loss quick, as they send ace Sonny Gray to the mound for Game 3 of the four-game series.
[sc:MLB240banner ]After two strong outings to begin the season, Gray finally had an ugly outing when he scattered 11 hits and gave up four earned runs in six innings of duty in Oakland’s 6-4 loss to Kansas City on April 17.
Prior to that game, Gray had a .059 ERA and 0.587 WHIP. He’ll look to get his elite form back when he pitches against the Angels, against whom he is 2-1 with a 2.68 ERA in five career starts. Oakland has won three of Gray’s last five starts against the Halos.
The A’s are set to face LA’s Jered Weaver, who’s been quite generous against power hitters thus far this season. Weaver’s fastball velocity is only averaging 83.3 miles per hour, and hitters have been quick to capitalize on his slow stuff, as evidenced by his 2.20 homers allowed per nine innings pitched this season. His susceptibility to giving up a long ball should be music to the ears of the likes of Stephen Vogt, Marcus Semien, and Billty Butler.
Vogt leads the team with four homers, while Semien and Butler have jacked two homers apiece.
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Betting on the Los Angeles Angels
Can the Angels follow up their huge win over Oakland on Tuesday? The answer to that question largely depends on how well Jered Weaver pitches later tonight. But based on Weaver’s recent outings, the Halos will have to be as hot at the plate as last game if they are to take the lead in the series.
Still in search for his first win this season, Weaver (0-2, 6.61 ERA) takes the mound on the heels of a no-decision in his last outing. Weaver went six innings in the Angels’ 6-3 win over Houston on April 17, allowing two earned runs on six hits, including a home run. Weaver has given up four homers in three starts this season, which makes it no surprise why he has a 5.84 FIP, currently 12th highest in the majors among qualified starters. Weaver’s early season struggles put extra pressure on the Angels’ lineup to produce against the A’s.
Dating back to 2012, the Angels are 8-2 in Weaver’s last 10 starts against Oakland.
Against Oakland’s Gray, Erick Aybar and Mike Trout are two hitters the Halos are counting on to provide action at the plate. Aybar is 5-for-14 (.357) against Gray, while Trout is 4-for-14 (.286) with two home runs off the Athletics’ righty.
Trout hit well on Tuesday, going 2-for-3 with two walks. Even better than Trout was second baseman Johnny Giavotella, who hit 3-for-3—including a three-run homer—with four RBIs.
Giavotella has been the hottest hitter for the Halos over the past seven days, hitting 7-for-19 (.386) with a homer and six RBIs.
Writer’s Prediction
Oakland wins (-105), 5-3.
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