Angels look to rebound in interleague matchup with Giants (Apr 20, 2018)

The Los Angeles Angels will host the San Francisco Giants for the first time in nearly six years beginning Friday in the opener of a three-game series at Angel Stadium.

Both teams are looking to turn things around in their first interleague series of the season, especially on the offensive end.

The Giants (7-11) have dropped five of their past six following a 3-1 loss at the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday night. The offense combined for four runs while losing two of three to the Diamondbacks. San Francisco is hitting a major league-worst .156 with runners in scoring position.

"That's not going to cut it," Giants manager Bruce Bochy told reporters after the latest loss.

The Angels (13-6) got off to their best 16-game start in franchise history, but an even hotter Boston Red Sox team came to Anaheim and overpowered Los Angeles in a three-game sweep. The Angels were outscored 27-3 in the series.

Angels manager Mike Scioscia wasn't overly concerned after an 8-2 loss in the series finale on Thursday night.

"Of all the components of our team right now, I think we're most secure in the fact that we feel we're going to score runs," Scioscia said. "We didn't show it this series but I think, over the long haul, we have a deep offensive club that's going to be there all year for us."

San Francisco will send right-hander Jeff Samardzija to the mound in his season debut. He was diagnosed with a strained right pectoral muscle about a week before the season opener and put on the disabled list.

Samardzija went 9-15 with a 4.42 ERA in 207 2/3 innings last season. He allowed a career-high 30 home runs, but also struck out 214 batters, second-most in his big league career.

Samardzija had a rocky performance in his only rehab start. Pitching for the Class A San Jose Giants on Saturday night, he allowed six runs in the first inning, four on a grand slam. He settled in and retired six of the final seven batters before departing after 2 2/3 innings.

Bochy told the San Jose Mercury News that he was encouraged by Samardzija's last two innings.

"He struck out the last five or last five out of six," Bochy said. "Command was good. Velocity was good. He came out of it fine and he took a very extended bullpen here, so that's why we're convinced he's good to go."

Samardzija pitched exceptionally well in two previous starts at Angel Stadium, but has nothing to show for his efforts.

In his most recent outing against Los Angeles on Aug. 19, 2015, he allowed one run and eight hits over seven innings for the Chicago White Sox, but was out-dueled by Jered Weaver and two relievers in the 1-0 loss.

A year earlier while pitching for the Oakland A's, he threw an eight-inning complete game at Angel Stadium, but eight Los Angeles pitchers combined for a 2-0 shutout.

Overall, he's 1-3 in his career against the Angels with a 3.71 ERA in four starts.

Angels starter Andrew Heaney (0-0, 5.40) also had his season debut pushed back. He was shut down about a week before the season opener because of inflammation in his throwing elbow. He had Tommy John surgery in July of 2016.

He'll make his second start of the season after pitching five innings at the Kansas City Royals on Friday night, allowing four runs (three earned), seven hits and striking out seven in the 5-4 win.

Heaney has never faced the Giants in his career. He's 1-4 in interleague play with a 5.16 ERA.