Angels hand Blanton ball in opener with Rangers

Righty Joe Blanton gets a chance to end a three-game April skid on Monday night when the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim host the Texas Rangers to begin a three-game series at Angel Stadium.

Blanton, a veteran of 231 major-league starts, split 2012 between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia while winning 10 times in 23 decisions.

He signed with the Angels in the offseason, inking a three-year deal worth $22 million.

The University of Kentucky product has dropped each of three starts since joining the Angels while allowing 26 hits and 15 runs in 14 2/3 innings.

He's 6-4 in 13 appearances against Texas with a 4.89 earned run average.

The Rangers start lefty Derek Holland, who's won 28 games in the last two seasons.

The native of Ohio opened 2013 with a no-decision against the Angels and subsequently split starts against Tampa Bay and the Chicago Cubs while posting a 1.64 ERA in 22 innings.

He allowed two runs on six hits in the April 5 game against the Angels, which was won by Texas, 3-2.

In 17 career meetings with Los Angeles, Holland is 7-5.

On Sunday at Texas, Nelson Cruz hit a grand slam and Mitch Moreland and Adrian Beltre each had two-run homers as the Rangers crushed the Seattle Mariners, 11-3, to earn a three-game sweep.

Leonys Martin had a solo home run, a triple and scored twice for the Rangers, who picked up their first three-game sweep of Seattle since Sept. 23-25, 2011.

Starter Justin Grimm (1-0) tossed six innings and yielded two runs -- one earned -- on six hits and struck out nine for his first win of the season.

At Anaheim, Mark Trumbo hit a leadoff home run in the bottom of the 13th inning, and Los Angeles completed a three-game sweep of the Detroit Tigers with a 4-3 victory.

Trumbo sent a 3-1 offering from Phil Coke (0-2) over the left-field wall, lifting the Angels to their fifth straight win at home.

The blast made a winner out of Jerome Williams (1-0), who gave up two hits over three scoreless innings.

The Rangers won two of three from the Angels when the teams played three games in Arlington in early April. The Angels won 10 of 19 games in the series last season.