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The Kansas City Royals and LA Angels split the six games they played in the regular season. The Royals' 9-8 win over the Oakland Athletics in the American League Wild Card Game earned them the right to take on the AL West Division winners in the ALDS. After the win at home in Kauffman Stadium, the Royals headed out to Angel Stadium of Anaheim where they start the five-game series tonight with lefty Jason Vargas on the mound against Angels' right-hander Jered Weaver.
Weaver, 31, was (8-3) in 14 starts in the second half of his ninth major league season with a 3.78 ERA, 4.12 FIP, 29 walks (2.97 BB/9), 73 Ks (7.47 K/9) and a .251/.314/.405 line against in 88 IP.
Vargas, 31, was (4-8) in 15 starts in the second half with the Royals, putting up a 4.23 ERA, a 3.33 FIP, 12 walks (1.74 BB/9) and 46 Ks (6.68 K/9) in 62 IP in which opposing hitters put up a combined .280/.315/.414.
The Angels were 52-29 at home this season. They start the ALDS in Anaheim at 9:00 PM EDT.
Here are the lineups for tonight's game:
• Weaver vs the Royals:
| Name | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SH | SF | IBB | HBP | GDP | missG | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billy Butler | 30 | 29 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 6 | .207 | .233 | .345 | .578 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Alex Gordon | 26 | 20 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 9 | .200 | .360 | .350 | .710 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Josh Willingham | 18 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 5 | .214 | .389 | .643 | 1.032 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Alcides Escobar | 8 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .250 | .250 | .250 | .500 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Lorenzo Cain | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .000 | .333 | .000 | .333 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Mike Moustakas | 6 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .167 | .167 | .333 | .500 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Eric Hosmer | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .000 | .200 | .000 | .200 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Nori Aoki | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .333 | .333 | .333 | .667 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Omar Infante | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Salvador Perez | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 107 | 93 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 9 | 28 | .183 | .283 | .333 | .616 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
• Vargas vs the Angels:
| Name | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SH | SF | IBB | HBP | GDP | missG | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Howie Kendrick | 44 | 41 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 9 | .268 | .318 | .390 | .708 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Erick Aybar | 42 | 41 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .268 | .286 | .317 | .603 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Josh Hamilton | 29 | 27 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 5 | .222 | .276 | .593 | .868 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| Albert Pujols | 22 | 21 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 3 | .286 | .273 | .619 | .892 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| Gordon Beckham | 17 | 15 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | .400 | .471 | .667 | 1.137 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Mike Trout | 17 | 15 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | .400 | .471 | .667 | 1.137 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| David Freese | 8 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .500 | .500 | .625 | 1.125 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Chris Iannetta | 8 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | .375 | .375 | .500 | .875 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Collin Cowgill | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .200 | .200 | .200 | .400 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| C.J. Cron | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | .667 | .800 | 2.667 | 3.467 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Kole Calhoun | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 200 | 187 | 56 | 10 | 3 | 8 | 22 | 11 | 28 | .299 | .340 | .513 | .853 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 |