Nick Tropeano (1-2, 5.51 ERA) and the Los Angeles Angels (69-67) meet Zack Greinke (15-3, 1.59 ERA) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (78-58) in the first of a three-game interleague series at Angel Stadium. The game starts at 9:05 p.m. ET on Monday, Sep. 7 and will air on FSW and SNLA.
In his last start, Tropeano pitched 4.1 innings, allowing six runs, striking out three and walking one in an 8-2 loss to the White Sox. Mike Trout (.298, 88 Rs, 34 HRs, 76 RBIs, 10 SBs) went 1 for 2 yesterday with one run, one home run, and two RBIs. The Dodgers were victorious the last time Greinke pitched. He pitched well, going 7.1 innings, giving up one run, striking out five and walking one in a 2-1 victory over the Giants. Justin Turner (.290, 46 Rs, 15 HRs, 52 RBIs, 3 SBs) has been hitting the ball well, going 2 for 4 yesterday with two runs.
Los Angeles, a +163 underdog, will look to capitalize at home against Los Angeles. The matchup currently has a seven-run Over/Under (O/U). The Angels perform poorly as an underdog with an 18-37 record and have an overall money line of -457. They are 1-5 as the underdog over their last 10 games. Los Angeles has averaged 3.4 runs per game during interleague play, lower than its season average of 4.0. The Angels are a dangerous hitting team with 354 extra base hits, one of the highest totals in the MLB. Whenever an National League opponent shows up on the calendar, the Angels pitch better. They allow an average of 4.1 runs per game, but allow just 3.4 against teams from the NL. The Angels don’t give up many hits to opposing batters at Angel Stadium, ranking fourth in the AL with only 8.1 hits allowed per home game.
Moving on to the opposing team, the Dodgers come into this game with a win percentage of .571 when playing as the favorite (68-51) and an overall money line of -802. They have played at the top of their game when rated as favorite recently. They managed a 6-1 record when playing as the favorite and an SU record of 8-2. The Dodgers have not played up to par on offense against the AL. Los Angeles has averaged 3.3 runs per game, less than their 4.1 season average. Los Angeles has an eye for the strike zone on the road, averaging an NL-best 3.8 walks per game. The Dodgers are a problem for opposing batters, sporting a 3.42 ERA this season. They have a WHIP of 1.18, third best in the MLB.
The previous three games have all gone Los Angeles’s way. This game will feature Greinke (RHP) on the mound against the Angels, who have a 48-50 record when they take on a right-handed starter. The right-handed Tropeano will take the mound against the Dodgers, who have a 63-44 record against righty starters this season.
Predictions: SU Winner – LAD, O/U – Over
Notes
When leading after 7 innings, the Angels are 34-20, while the Dodgers are 25-22.
The Dodgers managed to give up four walks in their last game. They’ll have to pick it up against the Angels who are heading in with a 29-13 record against opponents who give up that many walks or more.
When they outhit their opponents, the Angels are 49-15. The Dodgers have a 58-11 record when outhitting opponents.
Ranking 24th, the Angels are near the bottom of the league in runs, scoring 548 this season. The Dodgers rank in the bottom half at 20th with 558.
The Dodgers top the league in walks with 469 this season. The Angels rank in the bottom half at 20th with 372.
The Angels are 54-32 when they hit at least one home run. The Dodgers perform similarly when they hit one or more homers with a 58-34 record.
