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Volquez, Royals look to even series with Halos
By: Staff Writer - StatFox
Published: 4/26/2016  at  12:20:00 PM
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By Brad Kallet

KANSAS CITY ROYALS (12-7)

at LOS ANGELES ANGELS OF ANAHEIM (9-11)

First pitch: Tuesday, 10:05 p.m. ET
Line: Kansas City -115, Los Angeles +105, Total: 7.5

Jered Weaver and the Angels look to take the series from Edinson Volquez and the World Series-champion Royals

The Royals (12-7) will look to even the three-game series with the Angels (9-11) on Tuesday night behind RHP Edinson Volquez (3-0, 1.46 ERA, 22 SO, 8 BB in 24 2/3 innings), who has been nothing short of brilliant in his first four starts of the season. On the hill for the Halos will be RHP Jered Weaver (2-0, 3.12 ERA, 7 SO, 5 BB in 17 1/3 innings), who’s been very good in his own right. In the series opener on Monday night, the Angels won, 6-1, behind two home runs from DH Albert Pujols (.171, 5 HR, 14 RBI, .241 .OBP) and a solo shot from CF Mike Trout (.300, 4 HR, 9 RBI, .405 OBP). The Angels have scored the least amount of runs (63) in the American League and own the worst average (.220). The Royals (3.21 ERA) have pitched much better than the Angels (3.51 ERA) and their bullpen (2.72 ERA) is far superior to Los Angeles’ (3.76 ERA). The Royals have gone 12-5 against the Angels over the last three seasons. The Angels are just 4-6 at Angel Stadium, and the Royals have played an even .500 (4-4) away from Kauffman Stadium.

Kansas City’s best hitter this season has been 1B Eric Hosmer (.315, 2 HR, 6 RBI, .367 OBP), and there really hasn’t been a close second. 2B Omar Infante (.267, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .274 OBP) and C Salvador Perez (.262, 4 HR, 14 RBI, .292 OBP) have underperformed, though Mike Moustakas (.264, 6 HR, 10 RBI, .329 OBP, 5 2B) has shown off some impressive power. SS Alcides Escobar (.235, 0 HR, 6 RBI, .267), DH Kendrys Morales, (.243, 2 HR, 8 RBI, .286 OBP) LF Alex Gordon (.234, 2 HR, 5 RBI, .347 OBP) and CF Lorenzo Cain (.200, 2 HR, 8 RBI, .291 OBP) have all been cold. Morales has had tremendous success against Weaver in his career, going 8-for-14 with a homer and a double. Gordon (4-for-22 with a HR and 11 SO) and Escobar (2-for-14) haven’t fared as well against the two-time American League wins leader. Volquez has been brutal in three career starts against Kansas City, going 1-2 with a 6.92 ERA. Over the past two seasons, he’s gone 7-0 OVER in road games after a Royals loss. The Royals have gone UNDER in 13 of 17 games this season (including 13-3 when the total is 7 to 8.5).

Trout has begun to round into form for Angels manager Mike Scioscia, but Pujols—despite two bombs on Monday night and the club lead in homers and RBIs—has had an abysmal first month of the season. Not many Angels are hitting, and the most productive offensive player after Trout right now is RF Kole Calhoun (.282, 2 HR, 9 RBI, .354 OBP). After Trout and Pujols, the only other Angels with double-digit homers are Calhoun and 3B Yunel Escobar (.250, 2 HR, 6 RBI, .326 OBP). Pujols has had Volquez’s number in his career, going 4-for-10 with two home runs, a double, five RBIs and four walks. Escobar is 4-for-15 with six strikeouts against the former All-Star. In 15 career starts against the Royals, Weaver has gone 7-6 with a sparkling 2.76 ERA.


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