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Haren Set To Face Freshly Paid Romero In Series Finale Against Toronto

(Sports Network) -- Fresh off his first win for his new team, Dan Haren will head back to the mound for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim when they battle the Toronto Blue Jays today in the finale of a three-game series at Angel Stadium.

After losing two of his first three starts for the Angels, the veteran right-hander put forth an impressive display against Kansas City in his last contest. In Tuesday's win over the Royals, Haren surrendered just one run on five hits in seven innings while striking out three and walking just one.

Haren, who spent three seasons in Oakland, has faced Toronto seven times in his career. The Pepperdine product has a 5-1 ledger in those starts, but that also comes with a below-average ERA of 5.55.

The Blue Jays will turn to southpaw Ricky Romero, who is coming off a rocky outing against Boston on Tuesday in which he surrendered five runs on eight hits in six innings. However, despite the poor showing, Romero did not factor in the decision of his team's 7-5 loss.

Pitching on the road has been a problem for Romero, who is just 4-5 with a 4.33 earned run average away from home.

Earlier this season, the young hurler was pounded by the Angels for seven runs on 11 hits in 5 1/3 innings of work. Romero did finish with eight strikeouts in that April 18 loss, however.

This will be Romero's first start since signing a $30.1 million contract extension with the Blue Jays that will run through the 2015 season and contains a team option for 2016.

In yesterday's meeting between these teams, Bobby Wilson homered twice and knocked in a career-high five runs to power the Angels to a 7-2 victory over Toronto.

Hideki Matsui belted a two-run homer as part of a 4-for-4 effort at the plate for Los Angeles, which evened this three-game series after losing Friday's opener and has now won six of its last eight contests overall. Ervin Santana (12-8) gave up one run on three hits and four walks in seven innings to win for the fourth time in his last five starts.

The Angels are 7 1/2 games behind the AL West-leading Texas Rangers.

Fred Lewis hit a solo home run for the Blue Jays, who have dropped three of five. Brett Cecil (9-6) absorbed the loss after he was victimized for seven runs and 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings.

Anaheim has taken six of eight matchups with Toronto this season and won twice against the Blue Jays in a three-game series at home from May 24-26.