This is an 8* "SITUATIONAL DESTRUCTION" on the LA Angels.

A couple of competent starters face off in the opener of this three-game set, when the smoke does finally clear at the end of the night, I expect Jered Weaver and the surging Angels to find a way to get the job done. LA entered the break on a 26-9 run, hitting .295 and averaging 5.7 runs in that stretch. LA is now just 1.5 games behind the A's for first place in the West after winning five straight and ten of 11; note that Albert Pujols is hitting .476 with three dingers and 14 RBI's during a ten-game stretch. Weaver (10-6, 3.45 ERA) has won three straight after giving up two runs over seven frames in his team's 5-2 win at Texas on Saturday. Weaver has had trouble with Seattle recently, but there's no question that he comes into this contest on top form; note that he's 5-2 with a tiny 2.18 ERA over his last nine in front of the home town crowd. The visitors counter with Hisashi Iwakuma (8-4, 2.98 ERA) who also came into the break on fire, he's 3-0 with a 1.25 ERA in July. Iwakuma has had plenty of success against the Angels lifetime, 5-0 with a 1.49 ERA, but I think runs into a buzzsaw today as LA is excelling at the plate right now. LA has gone just 3-6 vs. the M's this year, including losing a season-opening three-game sweep at Angel Stadium, suffice it to say I look for it to avenge those setbacks and to open the the second half with a convincing all around effort. While the pitchers are a wash, we give a big nod to the Angels' line-up; a plethora of factors collide making this a price we have no issues at all in paying. Play on LA.

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