Read More: Dan Haren (P – ANA), Brandon McCarthy (P – OAK), Los Angeles Angels

The Oakland Athletics open up a four game series with the Los Angeles Angels Friday evening looking to get some kind of positive momentum after a lost four-game series in Texas last weekend. The A’s are twelve games out of first place and struggling to find any positives at this point. A strong series against the Angels doesn’t get them in the thick of the AL West race, but it could at least give them some confidence coming out of the All Star break.

Friday night’s matchup features Brandon McCarthy and former A’s ace Dan Haren. McCarthy is only 1-5 but he has been a bit of a tough-luck loser at times. He struggled in his last game against Texas but has otherwise been solid. Haren will be looking for his fifth straight win as he has been dominant much of this season. Over his last four starts, all wins, he has given up five runs over 31 innings.

Oakland Athletics
1. Jemile Weeks 2B
2. Coco Crisp CF
3. Josh Willingham LF
4. Hideki Matsui DH
5. Scott Sizemore 3B
6. David DeJesus RF
7. Conor Jackson 1B
8. Kurt Suzuki C
9. Cliff Pennington SS

Los Angeles Angeles
1. Erick Aybar SS
2. Torii Hunter RF
3. Bobby Abreu DH
4. Vernon Wells LF
5. Howard Kendrick 2B
6. Alberto Callaspo 3B
7. Mark Trumbo 1B
8. Jeff Mathis C
9. Mike Trout CF

PHOENIX (AP) – Jeff Mathis hit a two-run homer, Matt Palmer pitched six strong innings and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Oakland Athletics 10-3 on Friday.

Mathis’ homer, his first of the spring, highlighted a four-run third against Oakland right-hander Brandon McCarthy. A one-out single by Mathis in the fifth drove in Alberto Callaspo, who led off the inning with a double.

Howie Kendrick added three hits and two RBIs for the Angels.

Andy LaRoche, making a bid to earn a utility role for Oakland, hit a solo home run in the fifth. It was his fourth homer of the spring.

Designated hitter Hideki Matsui was hitless in four at-bats, dropping his average to .115.

Palmer gave up one run and four hits.

Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

PHOENIX (AP) — It has been nearly 10 years since the Angels made catcher Jeff Mathis their No. 1 pick in the draft.

He worked his way up through the minor leagues and last year, when it appeared he was on the verge of coming into his own with the big club, he broke his right wrist early in the season and missed 55 games.

Now, with Mike Napoli traded away, the path appears to be free and clear for Mathis, who turns 28 on opening day.

Mathis hit his first homer this spring and drove in three runs as Los Angeles beat the Oakland Athletics 10-3 Friday.

Mathis hopes his spring average of .375 is an example of what is to come. He enters the 2011 season with a career average of .199.

“Jeff has swung the bat well this spring. He needs to carry it over into the regular season,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “He had a great 2009 postseason, but because of the injury, he was never really able to get his stroke.”

Mathis is eager to get going. His homer highlighted a four-run third against Brandon McCarthy, and Mathis added an RBI single in the fifth.

“It feels great, knock on wood,” Mathis said. “I’ve worked on some things this spring and things have worked out so far.”

He is excited about working with the Angels’ staff and Scioscia, a former catcher, likes how Mathis works with the pitchers. The team has a solid backup in Bobby Wilson.

The Angels got an effective pitching outing from starter Matt Palmer, who gave up one run and four hits in six innings. The run came on Andy LaRoche’s fourth homer, helping his bid to become one of Oakland’s utilitymen.

Howie Kendrick added three hits and two RBIs for the Angels.

Angels designated hitter Hideki Matsui was hitless in four at-bats, dropping his average to .115.

NOTES: Oakland optioned OF Chris Carter to Triple-A Sacramento. … The Angels wrap up the Arizona portion of their spring on Saturday with a game against the Chicago White Sox in Glendale, Ariz. … Oakland 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff raised his average to .412 with two hits. … A’s 1B Daric Barton is set to return to action on Saturday night against Colorado after missing time with a strained leg muscle.

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Veteran right-hander Joel Pineiro gave up two hits in two scoreless innings and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Oakland Athletics 8-7 on Monday.

“I wasn’t nervous, but I just wanted to get out there and throw that first pitch,” said Pineiro, who was 10-7 with a 3.84 ERA in 23 starts for the Angels last season. “You could tell (the ball) was moving good. It was a matter of controlling the movement.”

Kevin Mellilo had two RBIs, and Howie Kendrick and Bobby Abreu each drove in a run for Los Angeles. Vernon Wells was 1 for 3 in his first spring game with the Angels.

Oakland ace Dallas Braden gave up two runs, two hits and two walks in an inning in his spring debut, and Hideki Matsui was 0 for 2 with an RBI in his first game with the Athletics.

Matsui batted .274 with 21 home runs and 84 RBIs last season with the Angels after spending his first seven major league seasons with the New York Yankees.

Braden was victimized by two errors by left fielder Chris Carter in the first inning. Carter dropped Wells’ routine fly ball and bobbled Kendrick’s single allowing runners to advance a base.

“It happens,” Braden said.“It’s spring training for a reason.”

Braden said he kept his repertoire guarded and simple, not wanting to injure his throwing elbow where tightness bothered him in the early part of 2010.

“Obviously, we’re not throwing the kitchen sink at them,” Braden said. “ I have to be cognizant of what triggers the (elbow) problem.”

Abreu doubled in Peter Bourjos in the fourth, Melillo had a two-run double in the sixth and Andrew Romine drove in another run in the seventh.

Angels’ reliever Matt Meyer walked Matsui and Conor Jackson to force in two runs in the fifth. Michael Taylor hit his first spring homer off Angels’ right-hander Ryan Brasier in Oakland’s three-run eighth.

Wells played his first game in left field with Bourjos in center field and Torii Hunter in right.

“We all went to center field just to greet Peter,” Wells said of the start of the game. “We (Hunter and Wells) told him we thought we were playing (center field).”

Abreu and Bourjos had two hits each for Los Angeles, and Taylor and Kevin Kouzmanoff had two apiece for Oakland.

TEMPE, Ariz. – Veteran right-hander Joel Pineiro gave up two hits in two scoreless innings and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Oakland Athletics 8-7 on Monday.”I wasn’t nervous, but I just wanted to get out there and throw that first pitch,” said Pineiro, who was 10-7 with a 3.84 ERA in 23 starts for the Angels last season. “You could tell (the ball) was moving good. It was a matter of controlling the movement.”Kevin Mellilo had two RBIs, and Howie Kendrick and Bobby Abreu each drove in a run for Los Angeles. Vernon Wells was 1 for 3 in his first spring game with the Angels.Oakland ace Dallas Braden gave up two runs, two hits and two walks in an inning in his spring debut, and Hideki Matsui was 0 for 2 with an RBI in his first game with the Athletics.Matsui batted .274 with 21 home runs and 84 RBIs last season with the Angels after spending his first seven major league seasons with the New York Yankees.Braden was victimized by two errors by left fielder Chris Carter in the first inning. Carter dropped Wells’ routine fly ball and bobbled Kendrick’s single allowing runners to advance a base.”It happens,” Braden said.”It’s spring training for a reason.”Braden said he kept his repertoire guarded and simple, not wanting to injure his throwing elbow where tightness bothered him in the early part of 2010.”Obviously, we’re not throwing the kitchen sink at them,” Braden said. ” I have to be cognizant of what triggers the (elbow) problem.”Abreu doubled in Peter Bourjos in the fourth, Melillo had a two-run double in the sixth and Andrew Romine drove in another run in the seventh.Angels’ reliever Matt Meyer walked Matsui and Conor Jackson to force in two runs in the fifth. Michael Taylor hit his first spring homer off Angels’ right-hander Ryan Brasier in Oakland’s three-run eighth.Wells played his first game in left field with Bourjos in center field and Torii Hunter in right.”We all went to center field just to greet Peter,” Wells said of the start of the game. “We (Hunter and Wells) told him we thought we were playing (center field).”Abreu and Bourjos had two hits each for Los Angeles, and Taylor and Kevin Kouzmanoff had two apiece for Oakland.

Veteran right-hander Joel Pineiro gave up two hits in two scoreless innings and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Oakland Athletics 8-7 on Monday.

“I wasn’t nervous, but I just wanted to get out there and throw that first pitch,” said Pineiro, who was 10-7 with a 3.84 ERA in 23 starts for the Angels last season. “You could tell (the ball) was moving good. It was a matter of controlling the movement.”

Kevin Mellilo had two RBIs, and Howie Kendrick and Bobby Abreu each drove in a run for Los Angeles. Vernon Wells was 1 for 3 in his first spring game with the Angels.

Oakland ace Dallas Braden gave up two runs, two hits and two walks in an inning in his spring debut, and Hideki Matsui was 0 for 2 with an RBI in his first game with the Athletics.

Matsui batted .274 with 21 home runs and 84 RBIs last season with the Angels after spending his first seven major league seasons with the New York Yankees.

Braden was victimized by two errors by left fielder Chris Carter in the first inning. Carter dropped Wells’ routine fly ball and bobbled Kendrick’s single allowing runners to advance a base.

“It happens,” Braden said.”It’s spring training for a reason.”

Braden said he kept his repertoire guarded and simple, not wanting to injure his throwing elbow where tightness bothered him in the early part of 2010.

“Obviously, we’re not throwing the kitchen sink at them,” Braden said. ” I have to be cognizant of what triggers the (elbow) problem.”

Abreu doubled in Peter Bourjos in the fourth, Melillo had a two-run double in the sixth and Andrew Romine drove in another run in the seventh.

Angels’ reliever Matt Meyer walked Matsui and Conor Jackson to force in two runs in the fifth. Michael Taylor hit his first spring homer off Angels’ right-hander Ryan Brasier in Oakland’s three-run eighth.

Wells played his first game in left field with Bourjos in center field and Torii Hunter in right.

“We all went to center field just to greet Peter,” Wells said of the start of the game. “We (Hunter and Wells) told him we thought we were playing (center field).”

Abreu and Bourjos had two hits each for Los Angeles, and Taylor and Kevin Kouzmanoff had two apiece for Oakland.