Angels Trying To Complete Memorial Weekend Sweep Of AL West Rival Rangers

After losing three of four to the Athletics this past week, the Los Angeles Angels came back with two wins and clinched a series victory over the rival Texas Rangers after defeating Texas 5-2 Saturday night.

The Angels haven’t given its fans much to cheer for recently after beginning the season 11-10, but taking care of business against an American League West rival will always make the fans happy.

Angels center fielder Mike Trout set the tone in the first inning when he delivered a 411-foot, two-run blast to center to put the Halos on top early. Trout is now slashing .239/.402/.485 (.896 OPS) with 13 home runs and 27 RBI in 52 games.

The Rangers would come within one run twice, getting one back in the second inning and one in the seventh after a Nolan Schanuel double put the Angels up 3-1 in the fifth, but the final blow came from a Oswald Peraza two-run single in the eighth.

Angels righty Walbert Urena pitched a nice game, allowing one run on five hits and three walks while striking out six in five innings. Rangers right-hander Nate Eovaldi pitched seven strong innings but took the loss after allowing three runs on five hits and two walks while punching out six.

The Angels can finish off the sweep with a win Sunday night, but lefty Reid Detmers needs to be on his game against fellow left-hander MacKenzie Gore.

Detmers hasn’t been pitching well as of late and is 1-5 with a 5.07 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 61 strikeouts in 10 starts (55 innings). He has been walking a lot of batters recently, but he was hit hard in his last start against the Athletics, allowing eight runs on eight hits and two walks in 5.2 innings.

The 26-year-old has been racking up the strikeouts, tied for 22nd most in Major League Baseball, but walks have been an issue, and he must command the strike zone better than he has. Detmers will face the following Rangers lineup:

1. Andrew McCutchen (LF)

2. Justin Foscue (2B)

3. Brandon Nimmo (RF)

4. Jake Burger (1B)

5. Ezequiel Duran (3B)

6. Danny Jansen (C)

7. Sam Haggerty (CF)

8. Kyle Higashioka (DH)

9. Michael Helman (SS)

Gore is 3-4 with a 4.78 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 55 strikeouts through 10 starts (49 innings). He exited his last starts after just 28 pitches with left lat soreness, but he was pulled as a precautionary measure and is scheduled to make this start. He allowed two runs on three hits and two walks while fanning two through one inning of work.

Gore will face the following Angels lineup:

1. Zach Neto (SS)

2. Trout (CF)

3. Vaughn Grissom (1B)

4. Jorge Soler (DH)

5. Jo Adell (RF)

6. Peraza (3B)

7. Jose Siri (LF)

8. Sebastian Rivero (C)

9. Adam Frazier (2B)

First pitch is at 4:20 p.m. PDT on Peacock.