LA Angels at Oakland
Tuesday, May 17th, 10:10 PM
(matchup)
First place is on the line tonight in the American League West when the Oakland Athletics host the Los Angeles Angels. The A’s pulled within one-half game of the Halos with last night’s 5-4 win in extra innings and will be a significant favorite here at home for the rematch behind Gio Gonzalez (4-2, 2.68 ERA), who will be opposed by Tyler Chatwood (2-1, 3.67 ERA).
Oakland led last night’s game 3-0 after five innings, but needed to score in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings after giving up two runs in both the sixth and seventh inning. The game started nearly an hour and a half later than was scheduled due to a rain delay. There has not been a rainout in Oakland in 13 years.
The A’s have been the very definition of a .500 club this year as they are 21-20 overall, 10-10 at home and 4-4 the last eight games overall. They are 2-2 vs. the Angels this season.
Tonight’s starter Gonzalez has been lethal as a home favorite with the team winning 17 of his 20 starts in that role. His last start was wiped out due to rain and that’s probably a good thing considering the A’s were down 7-0 in the middle of the 4th inning. It was Gonzalez’s worst effort of the year as he failed to make it out of the third inning. Had the start counted, his ERA would have risen to 3.90.
Gonzalez’s career ERA vs. the Angels is 3.90 and he lost to them earlier this year, 5-0, as a +140 underdog.
Angels’ starter Tyler Chatwood has allowed only 1 earned run in each of his last two outings, but did not receive a decision in either game. One cause for concern with Chatwood is a poor KW ratio of 18-25, which is not indicative of a quality starter. He did defeat the A’s 8-3 as a +105 underdog on 4.26, giving up three earned runs and five hits in 5.3 IP.
Over the last three seasons, the Angels are 18-10 when coming off a one run loss to a division opponent. They lost in that role last night, however, their fourth loss overall in the last five games.
