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Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have won their division in three of the last four seasons, but haven't had great success against the
Toronto Blue Jays in that span. However, the club can reverse those fortunes tonight, when the Angels try for a three-game sweep of the Blue Jays in the series finale at the Rogers Centre.
Going back to the 2003 season, the Angels were just 14-27 against the Blue Jays prior to this set and had won just five of their last 19 in Toronto. However, Los Angeles can sweep Toronto in a three-game set for the first time since July 9-11, 2004 with a win tonight.
Pitching has helped Anaheim keep Toronto in check. John Lackey tossed seven innings of one-run ball in Tuesday's 3-1 victory before Jon Garland picked up a victory on Wednesday. Garland (5-3) held the Blue Jays to three runs on eight hits in six innings, guiding his club to the 4-3 win.
The Angels managed only four hits in the game, but two of those were homers by Vladimir Guerrero. Guerrero hit a solo shot in the first and a three-run homer in the third frame.
Singles by Garret Anderson and Chone Figgins were the only other hits for Los Angeles, which has won three straight and leads the American League West by three games over Oakland.
Figgins was activated from the 15-day disabled list prior to Wednesday's game and also scored a run while hitting from the leadoff spot. He had been out since May 4 due to a hamstring injury.
The 7-1 Joe Saunders was slated to try and pitch the Angels to a sweep tonight, but he is being pushed back a day due to flu-like symptoms. Instead, Los Angeles sends Ervin Santana to the hill.
Santana won five straight starts from April 14-May 5, but has allowed nine runs over his last two outings, both setbacks for Los Angeles. The right- hander got a no-decision versus Tampa Bay on May 11 after allowing a season- high five runs over 5 2/3 innings, then picked up his first loss of the campaign on Saturday against the Dodgers. He was touched for four runs on five hits and three walks over six innings of that one.
Santana has historically struggled on the road, posting a 14-21 career mark and a 6.62 earned run average, but he is 4-0 with a 3.44 ERA in five starts as the visitor this year.
Santana is 1-2 with a 6.35 ERA in four career starts versus the Blue Jays, going 0-1 with a 13.50 ERA in one start at the Rogers Centre.
A.J. Burnett starts for Toronto and halted a personal two-game losing streak his last time out. Burnett faced the Phillies on Saturday and held them to a pair of runs on four hits and three walks over 6 1/3 innings of a 6-3 victory. He also struck out eight, giving him 25 strikeouts over his last three starts and 49 in 57 1/3 innings this year.
The right-hander, who improved to 4-4 with a 4.71 ERA after the outing, has lost his lone career start against the Angels. He faced them in Anaheim on September 8, 2006 and gave up three runs on seven hits over seven frames of a 4-1 loss. Angels catcher Mike Napoli homered off Burnett in that one.
Guerrero is hitting .206 (7-for-34) in his career against Burnett with three doubles, two homers, three RBI and nine strikeouts.
Toronto starter Shaun Marcum (4-3) allowed all four Angels runs on four hits in 6 2/3 innings last night. He walked three, struck out seven and retired 12 straight hitters after Guerrero's second homer.
Alex Rios and Greg Zaun had two hits and a run batted in apiece for the Jays. Matt Stairs knocked in the other run for Toronto, which has dropped two straight after winning six times in a seven-game span.
