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Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (50-43) @ Oakland A’s (40-53) (Records approx. depending outcome of GAME 1)
Pitching Probables: LAA — Ervin Santana (4-8, 3.89 ERA) OAK –Rich Harden (1-1, 5.73 ERA)
Game Info: 4:35 PM PT; TV – FS-West; Radio – KLAA 830 AM
Game two of the Doubleheader!! Sorry for the lack of a game 1 post but some scheduling difficulties required me leaving the ole’ Casa earlier than expected this morning. Anyway, for Game Two we get a match-up of two pitchers who both seemed destined for greatness but have fallen on harder times. The upside of this pitcher’s set up is that Ervin tends to do well against the A’s while Harden has at times struggled with the Angels. So if things hold as they are with game one and do to form with this one, then it’s a sweep of the two games and we are right back in the race.
Monkey See, Monkey Do Expect Santana to rock. In his career, Ervin is 13-3 with a 1.97 ERA against the A’s. If there is one team Santana would gear up to see it’s these guys. In doubleheaders you don’t usually get regular rotation guys but here Santana gets to face a team he has dominated and that after a day game, might be abit tired. Throw in the twilight shadows and you have the makings of a dominant outing.
Monkey See, Monkey Don’t Expect Scioscia to play his vets in game two. I would expect that either Wells or Hunter would DH the second game to give them some rest. Trout is a puppy so another game is no big deal and you might see Kendrick in the OF and Amarista at second for game two. This means that runs might be at a premium in this one and one bad inning might make the difference. I would also start to worry if we don’t see Might Maicer Itzuris in this game. He didn’t play last night and is not in game one so his absence from this one could spell doom on the injury front.
The Monkey’s Bananas Prediction of the Day Given the Angels penchant for doing things the hard way doesn’t this one have extra innings written all over it? Can’t you see them pulling this one out in 11 after the bullpen gives it up for Ervin? Angels win 4-2 but they have to work harder than they should for it.