Los Angeles @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 21, 2011 ) LA Angels 7, Toronto 2

THE STORY: It has been a rough year for Vernon Wells, but his efforts against his former team have helped the Los Angeles Angels inch closer in the American League wild-card race. Wells has homered in two straight games and he’ll try to continue his hot hitting Thursday when the visiting Angels wrap up a four-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays. Los Angeles rolled to a 7-2 victory on Wednesday behind a homer and four RBIs from Wells. The win, combined with Boston’s loss to Baltimore, helped the Angels move to within 2 ½ games of the wild card-leading Red Sox.

TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, Fox Sports West, Rogers Sportsnet (Toronto)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH Henderson Alvarez (1-2, 3.62 ERA) vs. Angels RH Ervin Santana (11-12, 3.40 ERA).

Alvarez, one of the Blue Jays’ prized pitching prospects, has been impressive in eight starts since being called up in the beginning of August. The 21-year-old righthander is 1-0 with a 2.67 ERA in his last four outings. That mark would be even lower if not for the five runs and nine hits he allowed in six innings against the Yankees on Sunday.

Santana is 0-3 with a 4.74 ERA over his last three outings. He had his five-game road winning streak come to an emphatic end on Saturday when he was roughed up for five runs and five hits in seven innings of a 6-2 loss to Baltimore. The righthander allowed one run and seven hits in a complete-game win over the Blue Jays on Aug. 12.

ABOUT THE ANGELS (85-70): Los Angeles’ lack of offense early in the season (3.9 runs per game in the first half) is part of the reason they are chasing AL West-leading Texas and Boston. Los Angeles has suffered 12 extra-inning losses and 28 one-run defeats. Wells, who’s hitting just .225, is 8-for-18 with three homers and nine RBIs in the last five games. Peter Bourjos’ triple on Wednesday helped him become the first player in franchise history to record at least 25 doubles, 10 homers, 10 triples and 20 steals in the same season.

ABOUT THE BLUE JAYS (78-77): Toronto got some bad news during Wednesday’s loss when it was announced that prized rookie third baseman Brett Lawrie’s season is over. Lawrie broke his middle finger while fielding ground balls in batting practice. The 21-year-old was hitting .293 with nine home runs and 25 RBIs in 43 games. Toronto rookies lead the majors with 46 home runs. J.P. Arencibia has hit 23 and Eric Thames hit his 12th on Wednesday. Arencibia is one shy of the franchise rookie record set by Eric Hinske in 2002.

FINAL PITCH: Angels first baseman Mark Trumbo has 29 home runs. His next home run will make Los Angeles the first team in history to have one rookie with 30 saves (Jordan Walden, 31) and another with 30 home runs.