Los Angeles @ Oakland preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 3, 2012 ) LA Angels 8, Oakland 3

The Los Angeles Angels are on a roll, but so are the teams in control of the American League wild card race. The Angels, who have won six of their last seven contests and 10 of 13, will try to gain another game when they visit the wild card leading Oakland Athletics on Tuesday. Los Angeles halted Oakland's nine-game winning streak with an 8-3 victory on Monday to move 5 1/2 games behind the Athletics, but remained 3 1/2 back of the Baltimore Orioles, who are second in the wild card standings. The Angels on Monday began a stretch of 10 games against Oakland (seven) and the Detroit Tigers, who are one-half game ahead of Los Angeles. Baltimore has won 11 of its last 15 games.

Zack Greinke, who has won his last two starts and three of his last four, takes the mound for the Angels. He will oppose Oakland rookie Jarrod Parker, who is 2-0 in his three starts but was not sharp while winning his last outing. Greinke will have to deal with a hot hitter in Athletics rookie third baseman Josh Donaldson, who is batting .338 with five home runs and 15 RBIs since being promoted from Triple-A Sacramento on Aug. 14.

TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, FS West (Los Angeles), CS California (Oakland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels RH Zack Greinke (3-2, 4.82 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Jarrod Parker (9-7, 3.72)

After a four-start stretch in which he posted a 7.30 ERA, Greinke has allowed three runs and 10 hits in 14 2/3 innings over his last two outings, victories over Boston 5-2 on Thursday and at Detroit 2-1 on Aug. 24. Greinke, who was 9-3 with the Milwaukee Brewers before coming to the Angels at the trade deadline, is 6-3 on the road in 2012. He is 5-1 with a 3.31 ERA lifetime against the Athletics, including a no-decision when he allowed four runs at Oakland on Aug. 8.

Parker allowed five runs and eight hits in five innings, but was the winner in Oakland's 12-7 victory at Cleveland on Thursday. Two starts earlier, Parker pitched eight shutout innings against the Indians. In between those starts, Parker didn't receive a decision in Oakland's 5-4 victory at Tampa on Aug. 24. Parker is 0-1 with a 3.29 ERA in two starts against the Angels, including a 4-0 loss on Aug. 6. Albert Pujols is 1-for-6 against Parker while Erick Aybar is 3-for-3.

WALK-OFFS

1. Pujols on Monday extended his season-high hitting streak to 12 games. He has served as the designated hitter for the last seven contests after missing four games because of a calf injury.

2. Oakland has homered in 10 straight contests and has 22 during that span.

3. Angels LF Mark Trumbo, who has 30 home runs, is hitting .190 with three homers and 50 strikeouts in 121 at-bats since Aug. 1.