Rangers-Angels Lines Preview

Divisional bragging rights will be on the line on Friday when the Texas Rangers and the Los Angeles Angels meet at Angel Stadium.

The Rangers will pin their hopes on the pitching of righthander Scott Feldman in this game. Feldman has a 10-4 record and a 3.42 ERA this season.

Feldman’s opponent in this one will be Joe Saunders. The Angels lefthander has a 5.07 ERA to go along with a 9-6 record this season.

Oddsmakers currently have the Angels listed as 135-moneyline favorites versus the Rangers, while the game’s total has not yet been posted.

Michael Young homered and drove in a pair of runs to help the Rangers defeat the A’s 6-4 on Thursday, as -120 favorites. That game’s 10 runs made it OVER the day’s posted over/under (9).

Hank Blalock also went deep for the Rangers, while Tommy Hunter went seven innings for the victory. C.J. Wilson closed out the game for his 14^th save.

Jeff Mathis belted a two-run homer and three others went deep as the Angels pounded the White Sox 9-5 to avoid a three-game sweep on Thursday. The Angels won that game as +135 underdogs, and the 14 runs made it OVER the posted over/under (9.5).

Erick Aybar also went deep and drove in a pair of runs. Ervin Santana pitched six innings for his fourth win, allowing four runs off five hits.

Team records:
Texas: 60-47 SU
Los Angeles: 64-42 SU

Texas most recently:
When playing on Friday are 5-5
Before playing LA Angels are 7-3
After playing Oakland are 4-6
After a win are 6-4

Los Angeles most recently:
When playing on Friday are 5-5
Before playing Texas are 5-5
After playing Chi White Sox are 5-5
After a win are 8-2

A few trends to consider:
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Texas’s last 5 games when playing LA Angels
Texas is 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing LA Angels
Texas is 5-2 SU in their last 7 games when playing on the road against LA Angels
Texas is 12-6 SU in its last 18 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of LA Angels’s last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Angels’s last 5 games when playing Texas
LA Angels are 8-2 SU in their last 10 games at home
LA Angels are 18-5 SU in their last 23 games

Next up:
LA Angels home to Texas, Saturday, August 8