(Sports Network) - Kansas City Royals newcomer Sean O'Sullivan can get a taste of redemption when he faces his former team, the LA Angels of Anaheim, tonight in the opener of a three-game road series at the Big A.
O'Sullivan was traded from the Halos to Kansas City last month in a deal that sent third baseman Alberto Callaspo to Anaheim. O'Sullivan is already 0-2 with a 6.06 earned run average in three starts with the Royals after going 1-0 in five games (1 start) as an Angel.
The right-hander last pitched in Wednesday's 4-3 loss at Oakland and allowed four runs -- three earned -- on six hits and two walks in 5 1/3 innings. He hasn't won since beating the New York Yankees with six innings of two-run ball in the Bronx on July 20.
Kansas City could use another six-inning stint from O'Sullivan after getting one out of Kyle Davies in Sunday's 3-2 loss at Seattle in the finale of a three-game series. Davis unfortunately suffered the loss for allowing two runs and five hits with five K's and a pair of walks.
"(Davies) really gave us a chance to win the ballgame if we could score some runs," said Royals manager Ned Yost.
Alex Gordon hit a pinch-hit home run and Mike Aviles drove in the other run for the Royals, who are 2-4 on a nine-game road trip.
The Angels, meanwhile, were aiming for a rare three-game road sweep of the Detroit Tigers over the weekend, but dropped a 9-4 decision in Sunday's series finale at Comerica Park.
Trevor Bell was reached for six runs -- four earned -- and nine hits over 5 1/3 innings to suffer the loss, while Scot Shields yielded three more runs in relief.
"I felt great. The command of my pitches was there, it was just a matter of getting out of that inning," Bell said of his outing. "That's my problem, A couple things happen and it gets to my head too much. It's simple dumb rookie stuff."
Bobby Abreu, Juan Rivera and Jeff Mathis each drove in a run for the Angels, who have now lost four of six and 12 of their last 17 games. The recent slump has pushed the Angels nine games off the lead in the AL West.
Ervin Santana gets the nod for the Angels Monday and had a two-game winning streak stopped his last time out in a 9-7 loss at Baltimore on Wednesday. He was pounded for nine runs and 12 hits in only 3 2/3 innings, falling to 10-8 in 22 starts to go along with a 4.11 earned run average.
The right-hander, who is 2-3 in his past five decisions, lost to Kansas City back on July 3 this season after he gave up four runs through 8 1/3 innings of a 4-2 loss at home. Santana is 4-4 with a 4.47 ERA in nine career starts against the Royals.
Anaheim leads the 2010 series with Kansas City by a 4-3 margin after taking nine of 10 matchups a season ago.