Pirates at Angels
The Los Angeles Angels were able to enjoy a positive conclusion to what was a miserable start to a long road trip over the weekend, but the Pittsburgh Pirates' ongoing nightmare appears to have no end in sight. The Angels take aim at a third straight victory Monday when they return home for the opener of a three-game interleague set against the Pirates.
Los Angeles has endured a rollercoaster second half thus far, mixing in winning streaks of five and four games in with a pair of three-game slides and an eight-game skid. The Angels halted the latter losing streak with Saturday's 12-4 triumph in Boston and managed to salvage a split of the four-game series with Sunday's 5-4, 10-inning victory to improve to 13-15 since the All-Star break. Pittsburgh received two homers and four RBIs from Josh Bell on Sunday to establish a four-run lead after six innings, but the bullpen gave up seven runs over the final two frames en route to a 11-9 setback in St. Louis. The Pirates have dropped eight straight overall and are a woeful 4-24 in the second half after entering the break winning five of their final seven contests.
TV: 10:07 p.m. ET, MLB Network, AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh, FS West (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates RH Mitch Keller (0-1, 10.50 ERA) vs. Angels LH Jose Suarez (2-3, 6.22)
Keller returns to the parent club for the first time since mid-June after getting pounded for 14 earned runs across his first 12 innings in the majors. The Iowa native has been roughed up for six runs in both of his road outings, logging only four innings in Cincinnati on May 27 and three frames on June 12 at Atlanta. Keller is 7-5 with a 3.56 ERA in 19 starts with Triple-A Indianapolis this year, although he permitted a total of nine earned runs across 10 2/3 innings over his last two outings with the Indians.
Suarez endured the worst of his 10 big-league starts Tuesday in Cincinnati, yielding season highs by surrendering three homers, six runs and 10 hits over five innings. The 21-year-old Venezuelan has struggled in particular against right-handed hitters, allowing them to bat .349 with 11 homers (.175, three home runs versus left-handers). Suarez, who has never faced Pittsburgh, is winless in four home turns and has yet to record a quality start in his brief career, only making it through five innings three times.
WALK-OFFS
1. Los Angeles DH Albert Pujols leads all active players in hits (236), doubles (54), home runs (50) and RBIs (149) against the Pirates.
2. Bell's two home runs Sunday gave him a majors-best 68 extra-base hits for the season, one more than Angels OF Mike Trout.
3. Trout needs one more home run over the next 16 games to break the team record for the fastest to 40 in a single season. Troy Glaus hit his 40th homer in the team's 136th game in 2000.