April 29 American League probable pitching matchup capsules

Albert Pujols gets most of the blame for the LA Angels’ slow start, but certainly Ervin Santana has to take some of it as well. The righty, a dark horse Cy Young candidate this season, looks for his first win Sunday at Cleveland.

LA Angels at Cleveland – Angels RHP Ervin Santana (0-4, 7.23) vs. Indians RHP Derek Lowe (3-1, 3.00): Santana continues to be plagued by the home run. He surrendered four solo shots to the Rays on Tuesday, the most he has given up in a pro outing (Minors included), and left leading the Majors with 10 home runs through four starts. … Lowe earned his third win of the season on Tuesday, when he held the Royals to one run on eight hits over six innings for the Tribe. The right-hander recorded a season high in strikeouts (five) and issued only one walk in the outing.

Detroit at NY Yankees – Tigers RHP Max Scherzer (1-2, 8.24) vs. Yankees LHP CC Sabathia (2-0, 5.27): Scherzer’s first four starts this year are a microcosm of his year-long struggles to find the form that made him so good for much of 2010. He’s striking out more than a batter an inning, but giving up more than that in hits, a .357 batting average. … Sabathia clicked into form in his last start, vs. Texas, and his line would’ve looked better than four runs in eight innings if not for a seventh-inning lapse in concentration. He struck out eight, tying a season high, and walked one.

Seattle at Toronto – Mariners LHP Jason Vargas (3-1, 3.45) vs. Jays RHP Henderson Alvarez (0-2, 4.10): Vargas earned his third win of the season last Tuesday against the Tigers, allowing four runs on six hits in six innings and pitching just well enough to snap a four-game losing streak. He’s 0-2 with a 7.52 ERA in his career against Toronto. … Alvarez allowed just two runs in seven innings during his last start against Baltimore, but got stuck with the loss. He has earned just one win in 14 outings — despite nine quality starts — due to a lack of run support.

Oakland at Baltimore – A’s RHP Bartolo Colon (3-2, 2.62) vs. Orioles RHP Tommy Hunter (2-1, 4.74): Colon took the loss on Monday against the White Sox, despite giving up just two runs — both on solo home runs — in seven innings of work. The veteran right-hander has not allowed more than two runs in each of his last three starts. … Hunter bounced back from two shaky starts to allow only one run on three hits in a 2-1 victory over the Jays on Tuesday. He made it through six innings on a night the Orioles were short-handed.

Boston at Chicago White Sox – Red Sox RHP Josh Beckett (2-2, 4.56) vs. White Sox RHP Gavin Floyd (1-3, 3.60): Beckett earned his second win with a quality start Tuesday at Minnesota: six innings, five hits, and two runs allowed. He has allowed just six runs in his last three starts after giving up seven in his first. … Floyd deserved a better fate than the 2-0 loss he suffered to the A’s on Tuesday. The right-hander allowed only two hits over 7 1/3 innings, but was charged with the deciding run in the eighth after walking the leadoff hitter.

Kansas City at Minnesota – Royals LHP Jonathan Sanchez (1-1, 6.75) vs. Twins RHP Nick Blackburn (0-2, 7.53): The southpaw Sanchez struggled with his command in a loss on Tuesday at Cleveland. He threw 56 of his 115 pitches for strikes while walking seven and allowing four runs in 4 2/3 innings. … After missing a start with stiffness in his right shoulder, Blackburn allowed the Red Sox five runs over just three innings Tuesday. The right-hander said his shoulder felt just fine and blamed his poor outing on falling behind in counts.

Tampa Bay at Texas – Rays LHP David Price (3-1, 2.63) vs. Rangers LHP Derek Holland (2-1, 4.78): Price had his best outing of the season Tuesday, when he tossed a five-hit shutout against the Angels, walking one and striking out six to earn his second consecutive win. Price is 0-3 with a 5.67 ERA in six career starts against the Rangers. … Holland allowed seven runs in six innings in a 7-4 loss to the Yankees in his last start. Left-handed hitters are batting .318 off him while righties are hitting .184. Opponents are also hitting .391 off him with runners in scoring position.

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