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ANAHEIM>> Although the Angels are finally getting the kind of starting pitching they need, they are nonetheless slipping in the wild card race. Despite a fourth consecutive game in which the Angels starter gave up two runs or fewer in at least five innings, the Angels were losing, 5-2, to the Houston Astros in the ninth inning at press time on Thursday night. The Angels were in jeopardy of f...

The Lakers appear set to retire Kobe Bryant’s jersey on Dec. 18, less than two years after he last donned it in a dazzling and dramatic 60-point sendoff. The only question will be which number hangs from the rafters: No. 8? No. 24? TMZ reported early Tuesday moing that the Lakers had informed season-ticket holders to “hold on to tickets” for the Dec. 18 game against Golden State for a “special e...

THOUSAND OAKS >> No dramatic moment, no speech, no loud applause. The Rams simply conducted their defensive meetings Monday with Aaron Donald in attendance, and that normalcy had to feel superb. Donald, the Rams’ star lineman who ended his six-week contract holdout Saturday, got back to work at team headquarters. The plan, according to Coach Sean McVay, is for Donald to be on the field when ...

SAN FRANCISCO >> After losing 10 games in a row and 15 of their past 16, the Dodgers arrived at AT&T Park on Monday afteoon willing to go to extremes if that’s what it took to tu things around. They would have to. The dark clouds that have followed them the past two weeks dropped rain on AT&T Park, two separate delays – one before the game even started and another after just one ...

SEATTLE — If the Angels hope to get to the postseason, they are going to have to reverse this trend with their starting pitchers. Ricky Nolasco provided the latest disappointing performance, allowing four runs in 3⅔ innings in the Angels’ 4-3 loss to the Seattle Marinersxa0on Fridayxa0night. Angels starters have a 6.53 ERA in the last 20 games. The work of the bullpen and the offense has kept them fro...

OAKLAND >> This time, Garrett Richards walked off the mound alone, perhaps only disappointed at the hanging slider he’d just thrown. It was better than the last time he’d walked off the mound at the Oakland Coliseum, that time accompanied by trainer Eric Munson. Although no one knew it at the time, it would be the start of a five-month hiatus for the Angels’ ace because of biceps nerve irrit...

LOS ANGELES >> USC will trot out veteran pass catchers for quarterback Sam Daold when it opens its season on Saturday against Weste Michigan. As part of the depth chart it revealed Sunday, its three starting receivers include fourth-year juniors Deontay Buett and Jalen Greene, along with fifth-year senior Steven Mitchell. “If you’ve been out there before, you kind of know how to handle...

Ranked No. 4 in the CIF Southe Section’s Division 4 poll, the Downey High football team expected a better start to the season than what it got against Santa Margarita. The Vikings were totally overmatched against a Trinity League opponent in a 56-0 loss last Friday night. Particularly uncharacteristic for the Vikings was an offensive line that struggled to slow down the Eagles’ pass rushers. “Th...

A’S at ANGELS When: Monday 7 p.m. TV: Fox Sports West Where: Angel Stadium THE PITCHERS ANGELS LHP ANDREW HEANEY (0-0, 8.10) vs. A’s: 1-1, 4.85 At Angel Stadium: 3-3, 4.29 Hates to face: None Loves to face: None A’S RHP DANIEL GOSSETT (3-6, 5.49) vs. Angels: First game At Angel Stadium: First game Hates to face: None Loves to face: None UPCOMING matchups Tuesday: Angels (RHP Troy Scribner, 2-1, 4....

LOS ANGELES >> A text from UCLA offensive line coach Hank Fraley flashed across Michael Alves’ phone screen. “You’re going with the ones tomorrow,” it read. Instead of being excited about his promotion from second-string guard to the first group, Alves was conceed. “Is someone injured or something?” the redshirt freshman recalls thinking after hearing of the change. But it wasn’t an injury that shook up UCLA’s once-solid No. 1 offensive line. It was Alves’ consistent improvement. He’s prac...

WHITE SOX AT DODGERS When:xa0Today, 7:10 p.m. Where:xa0Dodger Stadium TV:xa0SportsNet LA (where available) THE PITCHERS DODGERS LHP ALEX WOOD (14-1, 2.37) vs. White Sox:xa0Has never faced them before At Dodger Stadium:xa013-3, 2.26 ERA (135 2/3 innings) Hates to face:xa0None Loves to face:xa0None PADRES RHP MIGUEL GONZALEZ (6-10, 4.85) vs. Dodgers:xa00-1, 1.50 ERA (6 innings) At Dodger Stadium:xa0Has never pitched here before Hates to face:xa0Chris Taylor (6 for 10, .600), 2B, RBI Loves to face:...

ANGELS at MARINERS When: Saturday, 6 p.m. Where: Safeco Field TV: Fox Sports West THE PITCHERS ANGELS RHP JC RAMIREZ (10-10, 4.21) Vs. Mariners: 1-0, 5.00 At Safeco Field: 0-1, 7.88 Hates to face: None Loves to face: None MARINERS RHP ERASMO RAMIREZ (4-4, 5.10) Vs. Angels: 4-2, 2.49 At Safeco Field: 3-9, 4.71 Hates to face: Mike Trout, 8 for 20 (.400) Loves to face: Kole Calhoun, 2 for 11 (.182) Advertisement ...

Notes and observations on USC football after 10 training-camp practices ... LOS ANGELES >> USC coach Clay Helton won’t say who will start at wide receiver, but redshirt freshman Tyler Vaughns has only taken snaps with the first team. If Vaughns does not start, the coaches are doing a great job...

DODGERS at DIAMONDBACKS When: 6:40 p.m. TV: SportsNet LA (where available) Where: Chase Field THE PITCHERS DODGERS LHP ALEX WOOD (13-1, 2.33 ERA) Vs. Diamondbacks: 4-3, 3.06 ERA At Chase Field: 1-1, 6.32 ERA Hates to face: A.J. Pollock, 6 for 13 (.462), 1 double, 2 home runs Loves to face: Adam Rosa...

ORIOLES at ANGELS When: Wednesday, 12:30 p.m. Where: Angel Stadium TV: Fox Sports West THE PITCHERS ANGELS RHP TROY SCRIBNER (1-0, 4.50) vs. Orioles: First game At Angel Stadium: 0-0, 3.60 Hates to face: None Loves to face: None ORIOLES RHP KEVIN GAUSMAN (8-7, 5.15) vs. Angels: 1-1, 4.66 At Angel Stadium: 0-1, 5.11 Hates to face: Yunel Escobar, 7 for 13 (.538) Loves to face: Albert Pujols, 1 for 8 (.125) Advertisement ...

COSTA MESA >> In March, the Chargers signed Russell Okung, making him one of the NFL’s highest-paid left tackles. In April, the Chargers drafted three offensive linemen, including two within the first three rounds. So why — a week into August — are the Chargers starting a former practice-squad...

Ranking the top 10 sports events Aug. 7-13 you won’t want to miss: NO. 1: NFL EXHIBITIONS: CHARGERS vs. SEAHAWKS Details/TV: At StubHub Center, Sunday, 5 p.m., Ch. 7 RAMS vs. COWBOYS Details/TV: At the Coliseum, Saturday, 6 p.m., Ch. 2 Well, we got a bit of a look at the two local teams. And the two...

Willie Reed, a backup center who signed a one-season, $1.5-million contract with the Clippers last week, was arrested early Sunday moing in Miami on a misdemeanor battery charge stemming from a domestic violence incident, according to multiple reports. Reed was arrested at a downtown Miami condo, ...

A’S at ANGELS When: 12;30 p.m. Where: Angel Stadium TV: Fox Sports West THE PITCHERS ANGELS RHP RICKY NOLASCO (4-12, 4.90) vs. A’s: 1-1, 2.95 At Angel Stadium: 3-5, 4.71 Hates to face: Jed Lowrie, 5 for 13 (.385) HR Loves to face: Rajai Davis, 1 for 13 (.077) A’S LHP SEAN MANAEA (8-6, 3.88) vs. Angels: 0-1, 7.88 At Angel Stadium: 0-1, 13.50 Hates to face: None Loves to face: Albert Pujols, 0 for 10, 2 SO Advertisement ...

ANAHEIM >> Albert Pujols scored from second base on a shallow outfield hit Wednesday. The slowest player in baseball plodded around third and slid safely into home plate ahead of the throw from Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Odubel Herrera. After receiving a perfunctory tag, Pujols stood...