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MLB - Los Angeles Angels -120 stay hot in Kansas City
Los Angeles Angels -120 stay hot in Kansas City
Game Time: Monday, July 20, 2009 12:00 AM ET
The Los Angeles Angels have won six of their last seven and the Kansas City Royals have lost six straight. Expect both of these trends to continue tonight in KC.
It has been a rocky road for the Los Angeles Angels this season, who started off the year missing three of their best pitchers in John Lackey, Kelvim Escobar, and Ervin Santana. Despite Escobar’s return being hampered by another injury, Santana’s struggles to find his groove, and losing Dustin Moseley to injury as well, the team has found a way to persevere.
The injuries aren’t only coming on the pitching side; the Angels find two of their best sluggers in Vladimir Guerrero and Torii Hunter both on the DL as well.
One of the pitchers that has been called upon to fill in is today’s starter, Sean O’Sullivan. He has done a fine job, too; In four starts he has given up three runs or less in three of them, and in his worst start he only gave up four runs. He has done exactly what you want out of a depth pitcher; pitch at least five innings and keep your team in the game.
The Angels went into the all-star break hot after sweeping the Yankees at home, and seem to have picked up where they’ve left off, taking three of four from the Oakland A’s on the road. A team that has had to overcome so much this year with the loss of their teammate Nick Adenhart and so many injuries, they have really come together as a unit and refuse to go down without a fight. A team that never says die almost always makes a good bet.
It helps when your opponent is a team on a huge skid, sending one of their worst pitchers to the mound. The Kansas City Royals have lost six straight and eight of their last nine, struggling to put runs on the board and pitching terribly when they do. Almost the opposite of the Angels who always seem to find a way to win, the Royals always seem to find a way to lose.
Sidney Ponson was moved to the bullpen for a stint but gets the spot start today. He is 1-5 with a 7.27 ERA and a 1.73 WHIP. In his six starts this season the Royals are 1-5 as a team.
Everything about this game points to an Angels victory; and only O’Sullivan’s unknown status is letting this line sit anywhere close to where it is.
The Pick: Los Angeles Angels ML -120