(Sports Network) - David Price hopes to follow up a terrific effort his last time out when the Tampa Bay Rays continue their three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Tropicana Field.
Price, who is 17-6 on the year with a 2.75 earned run average, scattered three hits over eight scoreless innings against the New York Yankees on Monday, but did not factor in the decision of his team's extra-inning win, as his counterpart CC Sabathia also did not allow a run in eight innings.
"That was a good game," said Price, who has won five of his last six decisions. "It was kind of what everybody was expecting, and that's what they got. So it was a good game."
Price beat the Angels the last time he faced them and is 1-1 in three starts against them with a 4.32 ERA.
Los Angeles got to play spoiler in the opener of this set on Friday, as Brandon Wood hit a go-ahead leadoff homer in the ninth inning to give the Angels a 4-3 win.
Wood's blast to left-center off Dan Wheeler (2-4) was his first since June 27 and gave Los Angeles its sixth win over the last eight games.
"He hasn't been getting consistent at-bats," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said of the 25-year-old Wood, who was hitless in 11 at-bats in September coming in. "He's been working hard on the side."
Bobby Abreu went 3-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI for the victors.
Fernando Rodney notched his 11th save of the season after getting Ben Zobrist on a game-ending groundout to third with runners on first and second.
Tampa Bay came in a half-game ahead of the Yankees in the AL East race, but swapped places after New York edged Baltimore on Friday.
Dan Johnson hit a solo homer in defeat but was struck out looking by Michael Kohn (1-0) to leave the bases loaded in the eighth.
Angels starter Dan Haren fanned 10 and gave up three runs on three hits and three walks in seven innings.
His counterpart, Wade Davis, also received a no-decision after allowing three runs -- two earned -- on seven hits over six frames. The rookie also struck out eight and remained unbeaten over 11 starts.
Heading to the hill for the Angels tonight will be right-hander Joel Pineiro, who hasn't pitched since straining his left oblique warming up before a start back on July 28. He tossed five hitless frames in a six-inning Class A rehab start earlier in the week and declared himself ready to return.
Pineiro, though, has been a huge disappointment for the Angels this season and is just 10-7 with a 4.18 ERA.
He is 2-4 lifetime against the Rays with a 5.10 ERA in 11 games, 10 of which have been starts. He did get a no-decision against them earlier in the year, despite tossing 6 1/3 scoreless frames.
Tampa has won four of its seven meetings with the Angels this season.