Angels at Blue Jays
Amid the wreckage of the Los Angeles Angels' season, Mark Trumbo has managed to strike gold. Trumbo will look to continue building on his career-best numbers Thursday as he and the Angels eye a sweep of the Blue Jays in Toronto. Trumbo had a career-high five hits and five runs scored as the Angels opened the three-game set with a 12-6 triumph, and he added a mammoth two-run homer Wednesday as Los Angeles prevailed 5-4.
Trumbo's big series - he's 6-for-8 with two homers and three doubles in the first two games - has Los Angeles in position for a run at the .500 mark. While that may not seem like an outstanding achievement for a team expected to challenge for the American League West title, the Angels will take it after struggling for most of 2013. The Blue Jays would accept a similar fate but are in tough after falling to 67-78 with Wednesday's narrow defeat.
TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, FSW (Los Angeles), RSN (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels RH Garrett Richards (6-6, 3.90 ERA) vs. Blue Jays LH J.A. Happ (4-5, 5.09)
Richards has come on strong to finish the season, winning three of his last four starts while surrendering six earned runs over 22 1/3 innings in that span. The 26-year-old California native was masterful last time out, limiting the Texas Rangers to two runs - one earned - on six hits over seven innings of an 8-3 win. Richards is 1-2 with a 5.68 ERA in four games against Toronto, with his only victory coming back on Aug. 1 in Anaheim.
Happ ended a two-week string of futility in style last time out, limiting the Minnesota Twins to an unearned run on five hits over 5 2/3 effective innings in a game won 11-2 by the Blue Jays. The 30-year-old Illinois native has never faced the Angels in his career. Happ will be looking to make a more positive impression on Rogers Centre fans Thursday, having gone 1-4 with a 4.75 ERA in six home starts this season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Blue Jays 3B Brett Lawrie has three hits, including a double, in five career at-bats against Richards.
2. Trumbo's home run Wednesday was his career-best 33rd of the season, surpassing his previous high set in 2012.
3. Toronto has won just two of Happ's last 11 starts on four days' rest.