Angels’ Vernon Wells finds there’s no place like home

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Vernon Wells takes a modest four-game hitting streak into Tuesday night’s game with the Texas Rangers at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. And home cooking may be just what he needs to keep that alive.

Wells and fellow Texas resident Torii Hunter have been sleeping at home since the Angels got to town Sunday, and although Wells concedes there are some great hotels in the Dallas area, he added ‘but my house is better.’

Wells went 2 for 4 in the series opener Monday and is 6 for 16 (.375) on the road trip. He’ll have to go a bit to match leadoff hitter Maicer Izturis, who has had multi-hit efforts in each game of the trip, giving him an American League-best eight games with at least two hits this season. His .391 batting average is second in the league while his 25 hits ranks first entering play Tuesday.

Matt Palmer gets his second start of the year on the mound. He went 4 2/3 innings against Toronto his first time out, giving up five runs and 10 hits though he did not factor in the decision in a game the Angels won in 14 innings.

The Dallas area will probably be on tornado watch Tuesday evening. How that affects the game between the Angels and Rangers remains to be seen.

The lineups:

Angels

SS -- Maicer Izturis

2B -- Howie Kendrick

DH -- Bobby Abreu

RF -- Torii Hunter

LF -- Vernon Wells

3B -- Alberto Callaspo

1B -- Mark Trumbo

C -- Hank Conger

CF -- Peter Bourjos

P -- Matt Palmer

Texas Rangers

2B -- Ian Kinsler

Ss -- Elvis Andrus

DH -- Michael Young

3B -- Adrian Beltre

RF -- Nelson Cruz

LF -- David Murphy

C -- Yorvit Torrealba

1B -- Mitch Moreland

CF -- Julio Borbon

P -- Colby Lewis

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-- Kevin Baxter in Arlington, Texas