THE WEEK AHEAD : TODAY-THURSDAY AT DETROIT

Schedule: 4 p.m. each day.

* Television: None.

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

* Pitching matchups: Ken Hill (1-1, 3.94 ERA) vs. Dave Mlicki (1-1, 2.35) today; Steve Sparks (0-3, 5.20) vs. Jeff Weaver (2-1, 2.45) Wednesday; Chuck Finley (1-2, 6.16) vs. Bryce Florie (0-0, 0.00) Thursday.

* Last year’s series: The Angels won eight of 11 games, with catchers Todd Greene (three for seven) and Matt Walbeck (nine for 26) combining to hit .364. Reserve infielder Frank Catalanotto hit three of his six home runs against the Angels.

* Keys for Detroit: Second baseman Damion Easley, discarded by the Angels in 1996 after four injury-plagued seasons, hit 27 home runs last year, which would have led the Angels. Rookie Gabe Kapler, given an outfield job with the trade of Brian Hunter to Seattle, hit 28 home runs at double-A Jacksonville last year and hit his first major league homer Friday.

FRIDAY-SUNDAY AT BOSTON

* Schedule: 4 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.

* Television: Channel 9 Friday and Sunday.

* Radio: KLAC each day.

* Last year’s series: The Angels won six of 11 games, but the Red Sox scored six or more runs in seven of those games. Massachusetts native Ken Hill, expected to start Sunday, went 3-0 with a 2.11 ERA against the Red Sox last year.

* Keys for Boston: If GM Dan Duquette can stay off the field, that would help. The citizens hold Duquette in contempt for the departure of Mo Vaughn, who will be playing his first game in Boston since signing with the Angels.

HISTORY LESSON

A look back at this week in Angel history:

May 5, 1962: Bo Belinsky, above, pitched the Angels’ first no-hitter, defeating Baltimore, 2-0, at Dodger Stadium.

May 4, 1966: Dean Chance pitches the Angels’ first complete game at Anaheim Stadium, defeating the Kansas City Athletics, 13-2.

May 6, 1972: It took only 1 hour 31 minutes for the Angels to defeat Milwaukee, 2-0, setting a team record for quickest nine-inning game.

Source: Angel records