Kuroda (5-9, 3.10 ERA) is 0-4 with a no-decision over his last five starts, but the righthander gave up a total of seven earned runs over those outings. The Dodgers managed to score just seven times over those five games, and in Kuroda's last 10 outings they've provided him with only 19 runs of support.

Kuroda's most recent start came against the Angels on June 25, and he was tagged with the loss after giving up two runs on three hits over his five innings of work.

Tyler Chatwood was Kuroda's opponent on June 25, and he'll also get the ball for the Angels in the series opener on Friday night. Chatwood (5-4, 3.64 ERA) earned the win in that last outing, surrendering just a single earned run on four hits over seven innings pitched.

Righthander Chatwood is 3-3 with four no-decisions over his last 10 trips to the mound, and the Angels went 5-5 in those contests.

Despite the Angels' middling start to the season they're still right in the thick of things in the race for the AL West division title, thanks in large part to the lacklustre play of the Rangers and Mariners as well so far this season.

On the Bodog World Series odds list you can currently get the Angels at 35/1 to claim the championship, and they're at 20/1 to win the AL Pennant this season. The flailing Dodgers are at 100/1 to win the World Series and 50/1 to win the NL Pennant.

Get all your MLB odds at Bodog.