The Los Angeles Angels got their season off to a good start on Thursday with an opening day win in Kansas City. They hope the formula of very good starting pitching plus a few home runs will work again tonight as they face the Royals in game number two at Kauffman Stadium. Dan Haren gets the call tonight for the Angels, and he will be opposed by Jeff Francis, the former Colorado Rockie who has batted shoulder injuries the last three seasons.
Haren was great after joining the Angels last year at the trade deadline, with a 2.87 ERA in 14 starts. However, he was plagued by low run support, as the Angels scored three runs or less in nine of his 14 outings. Haren's record with the Angels was 5-4. Haren pitched a career-high 235 innings last year, his sixth straight season of at least 216 innings. Haren's 1,343 innings since the beginning of 2005 are the second-most in baseball, eight frames behind CC Sabathia.
Haren will look to follow in Jered Weaver's footsteps tonight. Weaver pitched 6 1/3 scoreless innings in yesterday's win, striking out six while allowing just four baserunners. You may have noticed a quirk in yesterday's broadcast about Kauffman Stadium: the Royals moved the home bullpen from right field to left field.
Tonight's 5:10 p.m. game will be televised by KCOP channel 13.
For more news and information on the Angels or tonight's game, be sure to read Halos Heaven.