ANGELS / THE WEEK AHEAD

TODAY-THURSDAY AT KANSAS CITY

* Schedule: 2 p.m. today, (doubleheader), 5 p.m. Wednesday and 11 a.m. Thursday.

* Television: Channel 9 tonight (Game 2).

* Radio: KLAC (570), XPRS (1090).

* Pitching matchups: Tim Belcher (6-8, 6.49 ERA) vs. Mac Suzuki (1-4, 7.77), Mike Fyhrie (0-4, 5.50) vs. Glendon Rusch (0-1, 15.75) today; Chuck Finley (9-11, 4.65) vs. Blake Stein 0-1, 15.75) Wednesday; Ramon Ortiz (1-2, 5.83) vs. Jeff Suppan (9-9, 4.42) Thursday.

* Last series: The Royals took two of three games from the Angels in Anaheim in early August. Suppan tossed his first major league shutout in a 7-0 victory.

* About the Royals: Kansas City is battling with the Angels and Detroit to keep from having the worst record in the American League. The Royals won three out of four against West Division-leading Texas in a series that ended Monday.

Stein was part of the deal that sent pitcher Kevin Appier to Oakland. He also was part of the deal that sent Mark McGwire to St. Louis.

FRIDAY-SUNDAY VS. BALTIMORE

* Schedule: 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 5 p.m. Sunday.

* Television: Fox Sports West Friday.

* Radio: KLAC (570), XPRS (1090).

* Last series: The Angels were swept in Baltimore in late July, which was part of an 11-game losing streak. Closer Troy Percival couldn’t hold a 7-6 lead in the third game and the Angels lost, 8-7, in 11 innings. It ended a string of 19 consecutive saves for Percival.

* About the Orioles: Albert Belle is hitting .299 with 32 home runs and had driven in 102 runs. Cal Ripken is 18 hits short of 3,000.