The Angels look for their fourth straight win Saturday night as they face the Orioles at Camden Yards in Baltimore. Joel Pineiro starts the second game of the series for the Angels, facing Brad Bergesen of the Orioles. The Angels won last night's opener 6-1, thanks in part to a grand slam by Vernon Wells.
Wells, who was acquired by the Angels this winter with four years at $86 million left on his contract ($81 million paid by the Angels), previously thought of as the most unmovable contract in baseball, had a miserable start to his season. Through 35 games, Wells was hitting .183/.224/.303 with four home runs. Then, after spending nearly a month on the disabled list with a right groin strain, Wells came back and started to hit, at least for power. Since returning from the DL, Wells is hitting .262/.286/.525 with 11 home runs in 37 games.
Pineiro is 4-5 this year with a 4.58 ERA, but is coming off the worst start of his career. On Sunday it was 80s day in Oakland, and Pineiro obliged by allowing 80% of the A's he faced to score. Pineiro faced 10 batters and recorded just one out, as Oakland scored eight runs in the first on their way to a 9-1 win.
Bergesen began the year in the Baltimore starting rotation, but was optioned to Triple A at the end of May. He was recalled on June 18, and pitched six games out of the bullpen before returning to the rotation on Monday. On the season, Bergesen is 1-6 with a 5.76 ERA (5.74 ERA as a starter, 5.82 out of the bullpen). The Orioles are 1-17 in games Bergesen has appeared this season. Baltimore has lost 17 of their last 21 games overall.
Today's 4:05 p.m. PDT game will be televised by Fox Sports West. For more news and information on the Angels, or on tonight's game, be sure to read the SB Nation blog Halos Heaven.