Los Angeles @ Oakland preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 1, 2015 ) LA Angels 6, Oakland 2

The Los Angeles Angels look to end their road trip on a high note when they visit the Oakland Athletics for the rubber match of their three-game set Wednesday afternoon. Los Angeles halted its four-game slide and improved to 3-5 on its nine-game trek by posting a 6-2 victory Tuesday to even the series.

Kole Calhoun went 3-for-5 with a homer and two RBIs as the Angels remained 3 1/2 games behind Texas for the second American League wild-card spot. Oakland managed just one extra-base hit — a solo homer by Brett Lawrie in the first inning — as it had its three-game winning streak snapped. The Athletics also had their three-game home winning streak against Los Angeles come to an end as they fell to 4-4 at O.co Coliseum in the season series. The Angels are 8-7 versus their AL West rivals, with four games remaining — including three in Los Angeles at the end of the month.

TV: 3:35 p.m. ET, MLBN, FSN West (Los Angeles), CSN California (Oakland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels LH Andrew Heaney (5-2, 3.11 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Sonny Gray (12-6, 2.13)

Heaney looks to end a six-start winless drought that has followed a stretch during which he won five consecutive outings. The 24-year-old native of Oklahoma settled for a no-decision at Cleveland on Friday after scattering six hits over six scoreless innings. Heaney lost his only career start against Oakland on June 29, 2014, when he yielded four runs and eight hits in six frames while with Miami.

Gray, who leads the AL in ERA, is hoping to prevent his winless drought from reaching a season-high four turns as he looks to climb within one victory of his career best of 14 set last season. The 25-year-old from Tennessee took the loss at Arizona on Friday after giving up four runs — two earned — and five hits in 6 1/3 innings. Gray is 5-1 with a 2.60 ERA in 10 career games (nine starts) against Los Angeles, including a 3-0 record in four meetings this season.

WALK-OFFS

1. Athletics DH Billy Butler has hit safely in five of his last six contests but has gone 10 games without an RBI and has driven in just one run in 24 outings.

2. Angels SS Erick Aybar is 4-for-7 over the first two games of the series.

3. Oakland is 12-24 when facing a left-handed starter and 22-28 in day games.

PREDICTION: Athletics 5, Angels 2