(My Sportsbook) - The Los Angels of Anaheim got one pitcher back on track yesterday. They will hope another hurler keeps to his winning ways tonight when the club plays the middle portion of its three-game series with the Oakland Athletics at Angel Stadium.

In Monday's 9-5 victory, Ervin Santana (6-12) picked up his first win since June 9 -- a span of 10 starts -- for the Angels, tossing 6 1/3 scoreless innings. He allowed just two hits with five walks to help the Angels halt their two-game losing streak.

Jeff Mathis, Gary Matthews Jr. and Garret Anderson all homered in the victory as Anaheim maintained its 6 1/2-game lead over Seattle for first place in the American League West.

Jered Weaver now shoots for his third straight winning start tonight for the Angels. Weaver has been excellent over his last two outings, allowing just two runs (one earned) over 14 combined innings in victories over Toronto and, most recently, Seattle on Wednesday. His eight-inning performance against the Mariners that followed six shutout frames versus Toronto upped his season record to 10-6 with a 3.79 earned run average.

Weaver, who is 4-1 over his last nine starts, is 1-1 with a 3.05 ERA in three career starts against Oakland. That includes a loss to the club way back on April 17, his first start of the 2007 season.

Lenny DiNardo will start for Oakland and received a no-decision in his last start on Wednesday. The left-hander held Toronto to a pair of runs on four hits over five innings and is 8-7 with a 3.57 ERA in 29 games (17 starts) this season.

DiNardo has made three appearances, two of them starts, in his career against the Angels and is 1-0 with a 4.15 ERA. However, both of his starts against them came this year and he picked up his victory while pitching to a 2.84 ERA.

He will try to fare better than Chad Gaudin (10-10), who was tagged for seven runs -- six earned -- over five innings yesterday for Oakland, which had won three of four coming in. Mike Piazza hit career home run No. 426, moving him into a tie with Billy Williams for 39th on the all-time list.

Oakland has still bested Los Angeles in eight of 14 meetings this year.