Los Angeles @ Toronto preview
Rogers Centre
Last Meeting ( May 19, 2015 ) LA Angels 3, Toronto 2
The Los Angeles Angels restored order in their history with Toronto and they'll try to take control of the four-game set when they visit the Blue Jays on Wednesday. Los Angeles has not lost a season series to Toronto since 2007 and improved to 37-23 during that span with a 3-2 victory Tuesday after dropping Monday's opener 10-6, and the Angels' Jered Weaver - Wednesday's starter - also looks to continue his mastery of the Blue Jays.
Los Angeles won six of its last eight games and is 3-2 on its 10-game road trip while Toronto dropped eight of its last 10 to fall into the American League East basement. Angels catcher Chris Iannetta, who is splitting time with rookie Carlos Perez, is 5-for-8 with a home run, two doubles and three RBIs in the series after going 2-for-4 with an RBI on Tuesday to raise his average to .173. The Blue Jays have a hot hitter in their own in third baseman Josh Donaldson, who is 4-for-8 in the last two games after homering and driving in two runs Tuesday. Weaver - 9-2 with a 3.39 ERA in 12 starts against Toronto - rides a two-game winning streak after going winless (0-4, 6.29 ERA) in his first six starts and opposes Drew Hutchison, who boasts a 1.89 ERA in his three victories and 9.64 in five no-decisions.
TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, FSN West (Los Angeles), SNET (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels RH Jered Weaver (2-4, 4.44 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Drew Hutchison (3-0, 6.17)
Weaver yielded a home run to J.J. Hardy, which snapped a 16-inning scoreless streak, and three hits in 7 1/3 innings of a 3-1 victory at Baltimore on Friday. "I think mechanically I was little better last time," the 32-year-old Californian told reporters about his previous start, a 2-0 win over Houston on May 8 when he pitched a six-hitter. "I didn't start figuring stuff out mechanically until the fourth or fifth, but I was able to keep those guys off the bases for the most part and was able to get some outs." Weaver, who has yielded nine home runs in 50 2/3 innings this season, fares well against Jose Bautista (1-for-13, six strikeouts).
Hutchison earned a no-decision after yielding two runs and striking out a season-high nine in six innings of a 6-4 loss at Houston on Thursday, which followed a 7-1 victory over Boston on May 9 in which he permitted one run in five innings. "I had real good fastball command (Thursday),'' the 24-year-old Floridian told reporters. "Down and away, in and out and up at eye level -- it worked. (I) found my slider after the fourth inning and got some outs with it." Mike Trout and Albert Pujols (home run) are a combined 2-for-10 against Hutchison, who is 0-2 with a 6.52 ERA in two starts against Los Angeles.
WALK-OFFS
1. Angels outfielders have not committed an error this season, joining St. Louis as the only two blemish-free teams in that area.
2. Toronto 2B Devon Travis on Tuesday missed his third straight game because of a left shoulder injury.
3. Pujols needs one stolen base to become the fourth player in history with 500 home runs, a .300 average and 100 stolen bases (Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Willie Mays). Pujols stole base No. 99 on May 12.
PREDICTION: Angels 3, Blue Jays 2