ANAHEIM (CNS) - The Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Angels will begin the 2019 regular-season Freeway Series tonight at Angel Stadium with the Dodgers in possession of the best record in Major League Baseball.
The Dodgers 2-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants Sunday raised their record to 45-21, percentage points ahead of the Minnesota Twins (43-21) and Houston Astros (45-22). They have won nine of their last 11 games.
The Dodgers' plus-109 run differential is the second-best in MLB behind Minnesota's plus-112. The Dodgers have allowed the second-fewest runs, 240. The Tampa Bay Rays have allowed the fewest, 208. The Dodgers 349 runs are the fourth-most behind Minnesota (382), Texas (364) and Seattle (355).
The Angels are fourth in the five-team American League West Division with a 31-35 record, 13 1/2 games behind division-leading Houston. They have lost three of their last four games.
The teams will also play at Angel Stadium Tuesday and at Dodger Stadium July 23-24.
The series was tied 3-3 last season, with both teams winning two of their games at their home stadium.
The Angels lead the official series, 66-54, which began in 1997, the first year of interleague play. The two teams began meeting in spring training in 1962, the Angels second season in the American League.
Left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu will pitch for the Dodgers, facing rookie right-hander Griffin Canning. Ryu has MLB's lowest ERA at 1.35 and his 9-1 record matches Chicago White Sox right-hander Lucas Giolito for the best in MLB. Ryu has not allowed a run in each of his last two starts and five of his last six.
Canning made his major league debut April 30, not figuring in the decision in a 4-3 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays. He was chosen by the Angels in the second round of the 2017 MLB draft out of UCLA. He was born in Mission Viejo and is an alumnus of Santa Margarita Catholic High School in Rancho Santa Margarita. He turned 23 on May 11.
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