Wilson tries to remain unbeaten as Angels battle A's

C.J. Wilson goes after his third win in as many starts this evening when the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim wrap up a four-game set with the Oakland Athletics at Angel Stadium.

Wilson, who agreed to a five-year, $77.5 million deal with the Angels this past winter, has been brilliant in his first two starts, winning both, while pitching to a 1.38 earned run average. The left-hander kept the Yankees at bay on Saturday, as he held them to a run and six hits in six innings to get the victory.

"I got some groundouts and some jam shots, kept the ball in the infield and we scored enough runs to win today," Wilson said. "It was great."

Wilson has faced the A's 37 times, but just five of those outings have been starts. For his career he is 5-5 against them with a 3.73 ERA.

Oakland, meanwhile, will rely on lefty Tommy Milone, who is 1-1 through two starts with a 2.57 ERA. After a brilliant debut that saw him toss eight scoreless innings, Milone was banged around in a 4-0 loss to Seattle on Saturday, as he was touched for four runs and four hits in six innings.

"It's always a little harder when you're not scoring runs, because you're trying to keep the team in the ballgame and you feel like you can't give up any runs," said Milone, who's never faced the Angels. "But it happens. And as pitcher, you want to throw up zeroes -- and I didn't do that today."

Anaheim's early season struggles continued on Wednesday, as Bartolo Colon tossed eight scoreless innings and Oakland downed the Angels, 6-0.

Colon (3-1), who threw 38 consecutive strikes at one point in the game, allowed four hits and did not walk a batter while striking out five.

"I had no idea about how many strikes I threw in a row. They told me later," said Colon. "I was happy with the way I pitched tonight. I have to continue to work hard."

Yoenis Cespedes hit a three-run home run while Jonny Gomes added a solo shot and two RBI for the Athletics, who earned their second straight win on the heels of a three-game losing streak.

Ervin Santana (0-3) allowed four runs on seven hits and two walks to suffer the loss as the Angels fell to 4-8 on the season.

"This is a team with talented guys. We have to grind it out," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said about his team's slow start.

The A's won 11 of their 19 matchups with the Angels last season. However, the Angels are 12-7 in the last 19 meetings at Angel Stadium against the A's.