With their win on Monday night to open up a four-game series in Anaheim, the Texas Rangers pulled into a 5-game lead in the AL West over the Angels and could put this thing away with a four-game sweep, though a split would be just fine.
It's starting to become evident that the Rangers will outlast the Angels for the AL West championship as it just seems they are the deeper team, and the biggest reason for that is the starting staff.
Sure, the Angels have three studs in Jered Weaver, Dan Haren and Ervin Santana.
The highest ERA of that trio is Santana's 3.10, and Weaver and Haren are both sub-3.00.
After that, you have Tyler Chatwood's 4.07, Joel Pineiro's 5.34 and Garrett Richards' 9.53 after his 19-pitch outing on Monday night before leaving with a groin injury.
The Rangers' top three pitchers: C.J. Wilson, Colby Lewis and Matt Harrison are all solid. Lewis' ERA is 4.01 and the other two ERAs in the low 3.00s. Then, the big difference shows up. The Rangers' No. 4, Alexi Ogando leads the team with 12 wins and a 3.33 ERA, and the clear No. 5, Derek Holland, has 10 wins with a 4.30 ERA and has four shutouts.
If Holland can pick up a win tonight against Chatwood, the Rangers will be guaranteed to leave this key, four-game series with at least a four-game lead in the West with six games remaining against the Angels.
