Los Angeles @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( May 20, 2015 ) LA Angels 4, Toronto 3

Mike Trout had a slow start to the series against the Toronto Blue Jays but is beginning to turn the corner. The Los Angeles Angels will try to ride their superstar to a series win when they visit the Blue Jays in the finale of a four-game series on Thursday.

The Angels lost Albert Pujols when he was hit by a pitch on the hand in the fifth inning on Wednesday, but Trout picked up the slack with a home run among two hits and three runs scored in the 4-3 triumph. The reigning American League MVP was just 1-for-9 in the first two games of the series but Los Angeles squeezed out enough offense to earn a 3-2 win on Tuesday after dropping Monday’s opener. The Angels are winners of seven of their last nine thanks in part to a pitching staff that has allowed three or fewer runs in eight of those contests. The Blue Jays are losers of seven of their last eight games and nine of 11.

TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, FSN West (Los Angeles), SNET (Toronto)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels RH Matt Shoemaker (3-3, 5.63 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH R.A. Dickey (1-5, 5.76)

Shoemaker joined the string of strong starts for Los Angeles with his best outing of the season last time out. The Michigan native scattered one run and three hits over seven innings at Baltimore on Saturday while striking out seven to earn his first win since April 13. Shoemaker has made only one career appearance against Toronto and yielded two runs in 3 2/3 innings of long relief.

Dickey has been lit up for a total of 13 runs and 17 hits over 11 innings in back-to-back losses. The veteran knuckleballer yielded a pair of home runs in each of those outings and has given up nine in his last six turns. Dickey has not had much trouble with Trout (1-for-5) or Pujols (0-for-8) in the past.

WALK-OFFS

1. Pujols (left hand contusion) is day-to-day.

2. Blue Jays SS Jose Reyes (cracked rib) is set to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Buffalo on Thursday.

3. Toronto OF Michael Saunders (bone bruise) is expected to miss 3-to-5 weeks.

PREDICTION: Angels 5, Blue Jays 3