The Week Ahead

TODAY-THURSDAY

AT NEW YORK

* Schedule: 4:30 p.m. all three games.

* Television: Channel 9 today; Fox Sports West Wednesday; Fox Sports Net Thursday.

* Radio: KIK-FM (94.3) today and Thursday; KLAC (570 AM) Wednesday.

* Pitching matchups: Steve Sparks (1-3, 4.29 ERA) vs. Andy Pettitte (1-1, 4.88) today; Chuck Finley (1-3, 5.92) vs. David Cone (4-0, 1.34) Wednesday; Omar Olivares (3-3, 3.52) vs. Roger Clemens (2-0, 5.47) Thursday.

* Last year’s series: The Angels won six of 11 games, the only team to win a series from the Yankees during a season in which New York set an American League record by winning 114 games. Sparks and Finley combined for five starts--and no losses--striking out 31 in 33 innings.

* Keys for New York: With Seattle’s Alex Rodriguez on the disabled list, Derek Jeter is making his case as the top shortstop in the league. Jeter has reached base in each of the first 30 games, and ranks among league leaders in batting average (.374), on-base percentage (.475) and slugging percentage (.697). The Yankees, 12-2 at home this season, expect Clemens (hamstring) and second baseman Chuck Knoblauch (leg) to return during this series.

FRIDAY-SUNDAY

VS. TAMPA BAY

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

* Television: Channel 9 Saturday.

* Radio: KLAC 570 all three games.

* Last year’s series: The Angels won six of 11 games, despite Cuban rookie Rolando Arrojo beating Anaheim three times. Troy Percival saved three games for the Angels, giving up one hit and striking out seven in 4 1/3 innings.

* Keys for Tampa Bay: First baseman Fred McGriff, who hit a career-low 19 home runs last season, has 11 this season. Designated hitter Jose Canseco, who hit a career-high 46 homers last season, also has 11. Four Tampa Bay relievers--Scott Aldred, Jim Mecir, Rick White and closer Roberto Hernandez--rank among the top 10 in the league in appearances, so the Devil Rays’ starters don’t last long.

HISTORY LESSON

A look back at this week in Angel history:

May 11, 1977: Bobby Bonds, Don Baylor and Ron Jackson hit back-to-back-to-back home runs in a 6-0 victory over Baltimore. It marked only the second time in team history the Angels had hit three consecutive home runs.

May 11, 1990: Mike Witt, who pitched a perfect game for the Angels and shared a no-hitter with Mark Langston only a month earlier in 1990, is traded to the Yankees for Dave Winfield.

May 15, 1973: Nolan Ryan pitches his first of seven no-hitters, a 3-0 Angel victory at Kansas City.

Source: Angel records