Tue Jul 1 11:36:35 2008

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A's turn to Harden in hopes of gaining series win in Anaheim

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(Sports Network) - Oakland Athletics starter Rich Harden will try to keep his perfect record intact tonight, when he leads his ballclub in the second test of a three-game series against the American League West-rival Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Harden is 5-0 with a 2.15 earned run average in 11 starts this season, and can become the first Oakland pitcher to open a season 6-0 since Dave Stewart did it back in 1990. Harden remained perfect on the campaign after tossing eight shutout innings in a 5-0 win over the Philadelphia Phillies Thursday at McAfee Coliseum.

The righty, who is 2-0 in three road starts this season, is 5-3 with a 3.99 ERA in 13 career games (12 starts) against the Angels. Harden did not factor in the outcome of a recent 7-3 victory over the Angels on June 8, when he tossed six innings of three-run ball.

Oakland ended a two-game losing streak by handing Anaheim a 6-1 setback in the opener of this series Monday at Angel Stadium. Starting pitcher Greg Smith threw his second complete game of the year, surrendering just one run and four hits with two walks and three strikeouts.

Eric Chavez drove in a pair of runs and Carlos Gonzalez went 3-for-5 with a run scored for Oakland, which also opened a seven-game road trip on a winning note.

The Athletics are 18-16 as the visitor this season and sit 3 1/2 games behind the Angels for the top spot in the AL West.

Mike Napoli drove in the lone Anaheim run with a solo homer and starter Jon Garland was tagged with the loss. Garland allowed four runs -- two earned -- on eight hits in six-plus innings of work for the Angels, who have dropped four of their last five contests following a five-game winning streak.

Anaheim is 0-1 so far on a six-game homestand and 22-19 as the host in 2008.

Taking the ball for the Halos on Tuesday night will be Ervin Santana, who is 9-3 with a 3.32 ERA in 16 starts this season. Santana has won three of his last four decisions, but did not factor in a 5-4 loss at Washington his last time out on Wednesday. He was reached for four runs and four hits in six innings of work against the Nationals.

The right-hander will face the A's for the third time this season and is 1-0 in those two trips to the hill versus Oakland. Santana has given up just two earned runs in 13 innings against Oakland this season.

He is 8-1 with a 1.38 ERA in 12 career appearances (11 starts) in this series.

The 2008 season series between the Angels and Athletics is tied at 4-4. Oakland went 10-9 last year against Anaheim.