LA Angels (83-71) at Oakland (90-64) 4:05 pm EDT
OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- The Oakland Athletics cannot
think of a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon in late
September than clinching the American League West Division.
The Athletics try for the second straight day to wrap up their
first division title in three years when they meet the Los
Angeles Angels of Anaheim in Sunday's finale of a three-game
set.
Oakland won the division in 2002 and 2003 but Anaheim has taken
the crown in each of the last two years. However, this season
appears to belong to the A's, who lead the Angels by seven games
with eight to play and have a magic number of two to clinch.
Anaheim stayed alive with a 6-2 victory Saturday behind three
RBI from Juan Rivera and seven solid innings from John Lackey.
The Angels have won seven of their last 10 road games, but it
appears to be too little, too late.
The A's would love to wrap up the division in their final home
game of the year. After Sunday, they travel to Seattle for
three games before closing out the regular season with four
contests in Anaheim.
Oakland turns to Dan Haren (14-12, 4.01 ERA), who had won two
straight starts and eight of his last 10 outings before taking a
pounding Monday vs. Cleveland. He was charged with seven runs
and nine hits in 4 2/3 innings of a 7-2 loss.
Haren also was hit hard in his first two starts against the
Angels this year. But he rebounded in the last meeting July 31,
when he pitched an eight-hitter for his fifth career complete
game, a 3-1 triumph.
The Angels hope to stay alive behind Ervin Santana (14-8, 4.57),
who is just 1-2 with a 6.26 ERA in four starts this month. The
Dominican righthander surrendered four runs in five innings
last Sunday en route to an 8-1 defeat vs. Texas.
Santana is 4-1 with a 1.88 ERA in six lifetime starts against
Oakland.