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The
Los Angeles Angels
are hoping they've finally put an offensive slump behind them.
They'll be trying to build off a big day at the plate as they open a three-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays Tuesday
at Rogers Centre.
The Angels (26-20) pounded the Dodgers 10-2 on Sunday and took two of three in the "Freeway Series." They hammered out 14
hits in the series finale after managing only 13 runs in their previous five games.
"It (obviously) was a good offensive day for us," manager
Mike Scioscia
said. "(
Mike Napoli
) really got it started for us and kept it going."
Napoli had two home runs, extending his surprising offensive surge. He leads the team with 10 homers despite playing in just
27 games while splitting time with fellow catcher
Jeff Mathis
.
"Things are just going that way, I guess," Napoli said. "I've hit homers in minor league ball. I've hit with power.
"I'm feeling good, seeing the ball, getting good swings on it."
However, the rest of the Angels' lineup has failed to live up to expectations.
Vladimir Guerrero
is batting just .259 with four homers, while
Garret Anderson
and
Torii Hunter
each have just five homers.
The Angels are hoping that they can build on Sunday's outburst as they open a six-game road trip. Los Angeles, which visits
the
Chicago White Sox
this weekend, has lost four straight on the road, including a three-game sweep in Tampa Bay May 9-11 in which it was shut
out twice.
The Angels have dropped eight of 10 in Toronto since the start of the 2005 season.
The
Blue Jays
(23-23), who are opening a seven-game homestand, have won six of seven overall, including Sunday's 6-5 win in Philadelphia.
Lyle Overbay
had a three-run pinch-hit homer, and ace
Roy Halladay
made his first relief appearance since 2001 in a game that was hit with two rain delays.
The victory moved Toronto back to .500 for the first time since it was 10-10 on April 21.
"I couldn't be more proud of this whole group," manager
John Gibbons
said.
Dustin McGowan
(2-3, 4.38 ERA) will try to keep the
Blue Jays
rolling in the series opener.
He gave up two runs in five innings of the
Blue Jays
' 11-inning, 3-2 win in Minnesota on Thursday. McGowan, who was pounded for nine runs in 3 2-3 innings five days earlier in
Cleveland, allowed just two hits, but walked five and threw 101 pitches.
McGowan is 0-2 with a 3.45 ERA in four career appearances - two starts - against the Angels.
The Angels counter with
John Lackey
(0-0, 1.29), who is making his second start after his first career stint on the DL. Lackey, who had been out with a strained
triceps, yielded one run in seven innings of the Angels' 6-1 loss to the
White Sox
on Wednesday.
"It was nice to be back. It's been a long road," Lackey said. "I felt pretty good early on. I was able to throw off-speed
stuff for strikes, and that was a big key. My fastball is not all the way back. That's probably going to take a few games,
but it was a good start."
Lackey is coming off a career season in which he went 19-9, led the league with a 3.01 ERA and finished third in AL
Cy Young
award voting. He is 2-2 with a 3.57 ERA in seven career starts against the
Blue Jays
, but has not faced them since May 2006.
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