(Sports Network) - Ervin Santana takes another crack at a career-best 18th win of the season this evening when the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim resume their four-game series against the Texas Rangers.
Santana did not get a decision the last time he toed the rubber on Monday against Oakland, as he allowed four runs and 10 hits in six innings of his team's 6-5 win. However, he has won seven of his last eight decisions and is 17-9 on the year to go along with a 3.83 earned run average.
Santana, who had won 16 games on two previous occasions, tossed a five-hit shutout to beat the Rangers two starts ago and is 11-6 lifetime against them with a 5.36 ERA in 19 starts.
Texas, meanwhile, will counter with lefty C.J. Wilson, who makes his final start before taking the ball for the Rangers in Game Two of next weeks ALDS. Wilson was a pleasant surprise for Texas this season transitioning from reliever to starter and going 14-8 with a 3.35 ERA.
Fatigue, though, could be setting in, as he is 0-3 in his last five starts and surrendered six runs in five innings in taking the loss on Monday to Seattle.
"You give up runs, it sucks. You lose, it sucks," Wilson said.
Wilson is 2-3 in 32 appearances against the Angels with a 4.13 ERA.
The Angels pulled out a dramatic win on Friday when Juan Rivera hit a solo home run in each of his last two at-bats, including the go-ahead blast in the 11th inning, as Los Angeles beat the AL West-champions, 5-4.
Rivera's first home run gave the Angels a 4-2 lead in the ninth, but the Rangers scored two runs off Fernando Rodney in the bottom of the frame to force extras.
Jered Weaver, making his final start of the season for the Angels, gave up a pair of solo home runs to Mitch Moreland. The right-hander scattered six hits through seven innings, walked one and struck out four to raise his total to an MLB-best 233 -- one more than Seattle's Felix Hernandez and two more than San Francisco's Tim Lincecum.
Tommy Hunter, who will start Game 4, if necessary for the Rangers in the ALDS, allowed a solo home run to Torii Hunter among three hits over five full frames.
Texas outfielder Josh Hamilton went 0-for-3 in his return to the lineup. Hamilton had missed 24 straight games after breaking two ribs while crashing into the wall to make a catch on September 4 in Minnesota.
The Rangers have won 10 of 17 matchups with Anaheim this season, including a 7-1 ledger in the Lone Star State.