MLB LOOK AHEAD

Angels return home to face faltering A’s

Field Level Media

June 04, 2019 at 6:31 am.

May 22, 2019; Cleveland, OH, USA; Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Frankie Montas (47) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field. Photo Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

May 22, 2019; Cleveland, OH, USA; Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Frankie Montas (47) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field. Photo Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Frankie Montas will start on the mound for the Oakland A’s on Tuesday night in Anaheim, Calif., getting a third crack at the Los Angeles Angels.

Montas got his first win of the year in his first start of the season on March 31, when he gave up just one run and three hits in six strong innings of a 2-1 Oakland victory over the Angels.

Los Angeles got even in Montas’ latest start, on May 28. In the Angels’ 6-4 win, Montas lasted a season-low four innings, giving up four runs and four hits and struggling with his control, walking a season-high five.

That defeat ended Oakland’s 10-game winning streak and also started the Athletics’ current five-game losing streak.

The May 28 game, however, was more the exception than the rule this season for Montas, who is 6-2 with a 2.81 ERA in 11 starts. Before the loss to the Angels, the right-hander had gone five consecutive starts without allowing more than two earned runs, compiling a 1.74 ERA in that stretch.

Overall, the A’s are 7-4 when Montas starts.

It is a welcomed surprise for the A’s, who acquired Montas from the Dodgers in the 2016 trade that sent pitcher Rich Hill and outfielder Josh Reddick to Los Angeles.

Montas, 26, doesn’t resemble the pitcher he was when he produced a 7.03 ERA in 23 relief appearances in 2017. He was 5-4 with a 3.88 ERA last year in 13 games (11 starts) in 2018 before discovering a new pitch during spring training this year.

Montas added a splitter while in Arizona during camp, almost on a whim.

“I had that thought in spring training, like OK, this is something I can throw so I’m gonna go for it. Add it to my pitches,” Montas told the San Jose Mercury News.

And while Montas introduced a pitch, he also ditched one — his changeup.

“My changeup was not even that good,” he said. “I have it. I used to not throw it a ton, but I feel way more comfortable with my splitter. Throwing it behind in the count, no matter what the count is. Throwing (the) splitter makes me a better pitcher.”

In his career, Montas is 1-0 with a 3.52 ERA in five career games (two starts) vs. the Angels. He has held Mike Trout to one hit in seven at-bats, but Kole Calhoun is 4-for-8 with a home run against him.

He will be matched up against Angels starter Griffin Canning, who is 2-1 with a 3.06 ERA in six starts since being called up to make his major league debut April 30.

The 23-year-old right-hander is coming off a solid performance in his first-ever meeting with Oakland last Wednesday. Canning gave up one run and three hits in six innings, not allowing a walk and striking out five during a no-decision in a game Los Angeles won 12-7.

Despite the success in that start, Canning expressed the attitude of a perfectionist.

“My first-pitch strikes were pretty bad; I had just seven,” Canning said. “I was pitching behind every single guy.”

The Angels return home after a three-city road trip that included one game in Chicago on Monday against the Cubs, making up a contest that was postponed in April. The 8-1 defeat at Wrigley Field was their 12th game during a 20-game stretch without a day off.

Los Angeles owns a 7-3 mark in the past 10 games, including 5-3 on the road trip.

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