Los Angeles @ Toronto preview
Rogers Centre
Last Meeting ( Jun 28, 2012 ) LA Angels 9, Toronto 7
Mike Trout and Mark Trumbo look like budding stars, and Albert Pujols looks like himself again - and the trio has the Los Angeles Angels surging back into contention in the American League West. The Angels will try to continue their climb - and their incredible play on the road - when they continue a four-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays.
The Angels have won 14 of their last 15 road games and nine of 11 overall to get a season-high 10 games over .500 and stay within striking distance of division-leading Texas. Trout and Trumbo each hit home runs in a 9-7 win in the series opener, and Pujols went 4-for-5 and scored three runs.
The Blue Jays have lost three straight in spite of the continued hot hitting of Jose Bautista, who slugged his league-leading 26th home run Thursday. Bautista has 14 home runs in June - the most by any Toronto player in one month and one shy of the American League record for June shared by Babe Ruth (1930), Bob Johnson (1934) and Roger Maris (1961).
TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, Fox Sports West (Los Angeles), SNET, TVA Sports (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels RH Ervin Santana (4-8, 4.92 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Carlos Villanueva (2-0, 3.24 ERA)
Santana has put together two straight strong outings, though he was a tough-luck loser Saturday against the Dodgers despite striking out 10 and allowing three runs (two earned) in eight innings. That outing came on the heels of a one-hit shutout of Arizona on June 16, and Santana has allowed just two earned runs and five hits in his last 17 innings. He is 6-5 with a 3.67 ERA in 13 starts against the Blue Jays; he faced them May 4 at home and struck out 10 over eight innings while allowing three runs in a 4-0 loss.
Villanueva will make the transition from the bullpen to make his first start of the season. He's no stranger to the role, having made 40 starts over seven major-league seasons, including 13 last year with Toronto. Villanueva has not allowed a run in 10 1/3 innings over his last five outings. Villanueva has made five relief appearances against the Angels and has not allowed a run or a hit. Few of the Angels have seen much of Villanueva, who has spent most of his career in the National League, but Albert Pujols is 8-for-25 with two homers and seven RBIs against him.
WALK-OFFS
1. Trout is riding a 10-game hitting streak - the longest active streak in the majors - and is batting .394 (41-for-104) in June. His .345 average ranks fifth in the majors and first among rookies.
2. Villanueva is the 10th different starter used by the Blue Jays this season.
3. The Blue Jays' roster is a collective 23-for-119 (.193) against Santana. The only Toronto players who have had success are Bautista (6-for-20, 2 HR) and Yunel Escobar (5-for-14).