The Los Angeles Angels welcome Jered Weaver back to the mound Saturday night as they face the Minnesota Twins at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. The Angels began the week with the favorable portion of their schedule with 10 games in a row against two teams -- the Twins and Seattle Mariners -- with a combined .422 winning percentage. However, so far the Angels have lost three of five games this week.
Weaver has allowed 15 runs in his last two road starts, but Saturday returns to the mound where he has had tremendous success this year. In Anaheim this season, Weaver has made 12 starts and allowed 14 total runs. He is 7-1 with a 1.38 ERA at home this season, but note this split for Weaver:
At home, Weaver has walked 24 and struck out 84 batters
On the road, Weaver has walked 24 and struck out 84 batters
However, Weaver has pitched just 91 1/3 innings at home, compared to 110 innings in the road grays. Also, Weaver has allowed two home runs in Anaheim, and 12 on the road. Weaver pitched nine scoreless innings in Minnesota on May 28 but got a no-decision thanks in part to Anthony Swarzak taking a no-hitter into the eighth inning, in a game the Twins won 1-0 in 10 innings.
Brian Duensing gets the start for Minnesota. Duensing is 9-13 with a 5.09 ERA on the season, though he is 3-6 with a 7.07 ERA in nine starts since the All-Star break. He lost to the Angels in Anaheim on August 2, as he allowed five runs in six innings.
Mark Trumbo may have a .295 on-base percentage this season, but he is closing in on an Angels' rookie record. Trumbo leads the Angels in both home runs (24) and RBI (73) this season, including a three-run home run off Duensing on August 2. No Angels rookie has ever led the team in both home runs and RBI. Tim Salmon is the only Angels rookie to lead the team in home runs, with 31 in 1993. Ken Hunt (84 RBI in 1961) and Wally Joyner (100 RBI in 1986) are the only two Angels rookies to lead the league in RBI.
Saturday night's 6:05 p.m. PDT game will be televised by KCOP. For more news and information on the Angels, be sure to read Halos Heaven.