Angels Need Offense to Show up Against Astros
The Houston Astros and the Los Angeles Angels meet at Angel Stadium Monday night in the first game of a three game series. The Astros have superb pitching and the Angels have and up and own offense.
TV: 10:07 p.m. ET, MLB Network, AT&T SportsNet-Southwest (Houston), FS West (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros RH Lance McCullers Jr. (5-1, 3.72 ERA) vs. Angels LH Andrew Heaney (1-2, 4.78)
Oddsmakers opened the Astros as -142-moneyline favorites versus the Angels, while the game’s total opened at 7.5. The line is now Houston -128 on the moneyline and the total has crept up to 8.
The Astros have only allowed one run in each of their past four games. That lowers their league-leading ERA to 2.49.
Houston hasn’t allowed more than two runs in its past six games. The only major league team since 1989 with an ERA below 3.00 for an entire season was the 2015 St. Louis Cardinals (2.94).
The Angels averaged seven runs per game to help them go 7-2 to start the month. They only combined for nine runs in the past three games against the Minnesota Twins. They managed to salvage a split of the four-game series with a walk-off 2-1 win on Sunday afternoon. That keept them a game behind first-place Houston in the American League West.
Astros Looking to Exact Some Revenge on the Angels
Houston lost two of three to the visiting Angels last month. They are 6-1 on the road against AL West teams so far this season.
Astros designated hitter
Evan Gattis is 6-for-17 in his five-game hitting streak. He has homered in each of the past two games.
Lance McCullers Jr. hasn’t lost since April 6. He’ll try to join Corey Kluber of the Cleveland Indians and Luis Severino of the New York Yankees as the only six-game winners in the American League.
McCullers has been very tough on the Angels over his four-year career. He’s 3-1 in nine starts. His 1.78 ERA against LA is the lowest against any team he has faced more than once.
The current members who have seen McCullers the most are all hitting below .200 against the right-hander. Mike Trout is 2-for-17 against McCullers, Andrelton Simmons is 2-for-13, and Kole Calhoun and Albert Pujols are each 4-for-22.
George Springer (elbow) did not play for a second straight day Sunday. He is expected to return to the lineup for the opener.
Angels Need Quality Pitching
Angels starter Andrew Heaney has been solid in his past three outings but has just one win to show for the performances.
He gave up one earned run in five innings against the
New York Yankees on April 7. He did not get a decision in the 4-3 loss. Then he allowed one run in six innings on May 2 against the Baltimore Orioles before the Angels held on to win 10-7. He went another six innings on Tuesday at the Colorado Rockies. He gave up two runs in taking the defeat in the 4-2 loss.
Heaney has allowed just five hits in each of his past five starts. Heaney has not surrendered a homer in four of his five outings. He faces the Astros for the first time since tossing five scoreless innings in a no-decision in 2015.
Justin Upton is tied with Cleveland OF Michael Brantley for the most RBIs in May (17).
Astros and Angels MLB Trends
Astros and Angels MLB Trends
Next up:
Houston at Los Angeles Tuesday, May 15
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