Angels seek sweep of visiting Yanks
(SportsNetwork.com) - The Los Angeles Angels eye a fifth victory in a row on Wednesday night when they conclude a three-game series with the visiting New York Yankees.
The Angels have plated just six runs over the first two games of this set, but that has been enough as they have limited the Yankees to just two. Los Angeles got back-to-back homers from Albert Pujols and Erick Aybar in the sixth inning of a 2-1 win last night as Andrew Heaney earned his first career victory.
Heaney made his seventh career start and second this season, striking out seven over as many innings. He allowed two hits and walked a pair of batters.
One of the hits was a home run in the second inning by Mark Teixeira, his 19th of the season, but New York did not record a hit after the third frame.
"The bottom line is we didn't score runs," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "We hit balls hard but right at people."
Pujols' homer was his 13th of June, tying a club record for the most homers in any month. Aybar followed two pitches later with another one to center, with his landing just over the 396-foot sign to give the Angels the lead.
"(Aybar) surprised me with that home run to center, the deepest part of the ballpark," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.
That led to Ivan Nova taking a tough-luck loss in his second start since coming back from Tommy John surgery. He was lifted after 5 1/3 innings, charged with both runs with seven strikeouts as the Yankees lost their third game in a row.
The Yankees had won five in a row and seven of their past eight versus the Angels coming into this series, including a three-game sweep in the Bronx from June 5-7. They haven't been swept by Los Angeles since a three-game set in Anaheim from July 10-12, 2009.
Matt Shoemaker will start tonight looking to get the Angels that sweep and is coming off a tough-luck loss that dropped him to 4-6 on the year with a 5.03 earned run average.
Shoemaker is 0-2 over his past three outings and dropped a 3-1 decision to Seattle on Friday. He was charged with a pair of runs on seven hits and two walks in six innings, but Los Angeles could not get him enough run support.
"(Shoemaker) had great velocity and good command. He pitched well and gave us a chance to win. We just couldn't get that one key hit," lamented Scioscia.
The righty will be facing the Yankees for the first time while searching for his first home win of 2015. He is 0-5 with a 4.82 ERA in seven starts in Anaheim.
The Yankees hope to get a third straight strong outing from right-hander Nathan Eovaldi tonight, with the hurler having rebounded from a horrid outing earlier this month.
Adam Warren was slated to start this game, but has been moved to the bullpen due to the return of Nova to the rotation and Eovaldi will still be pitching on regular rest tonight.
Eovaldi was drilled for eight runs and recorded just two outs in a loss to Miami on June 16, but has bounced back with solid six-inning victories over Detroit and Houston. He allowed two runs in both, scattering five hits and striking out six on Friday against the Astros while improving to 7-2 on the year with a 4.81 ERA.
The 25-year-old Eovaldi beat the Angels on June 5, giving up only one run but lasting just 5 1/3 innings due to four hits and four walks. He is 1-1 against them with a 4.91 ERA in three starts.