Los Angeles @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 15, 2013 ) LA Angels 8, NY Yankees 4

New York Yankees captain Derek Jeter is enjoying a fine farewell tour and Jacoby Ellsbury is proving to be a perfect fit with his new team. Those two and the rest of the first-place Yankees will try to keep up with Mike Trout and Albert Pujols when the Los Angeles Angels visit New York on Friday. Trout is on the short list to take over Jeter’s position as the face of baseball next season, while Pujols is busy proving that last year was a fluke.

Pujols suffered through his worst season in 2013, missing 63 games due to injury while batting a career-low .259 with just 17 home runs. The former MVP is healthy again and leads the American League with eight homers, including the 500th of his career on Tuesday, while hitting No. 3 in the lineup behind Trout. The Yankees are matching that type of production at the top of their lineup with Jeter and Ellsbury, who combined to drive in five runs on five hits in Thursday’s 14-5 win over the Boston Red Sox.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FSN West (Los Angeles), YES (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels LH C.J. Wilson (2-2, 4.21 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Hiroki Kuroda (2-1, 4.07)

Wilson had a string of two straight strong outings come to an end at Detroit on Saturday, when he was reached for four runs - three earned - in five innings to suffer the loss. The California native has recorded 28 strikeouts in 25 2/3 frames and worked through seven innings in the two starts before falling to the Tigers. Wilson has had some success against New York in the past and owns a 3-3 record with a 3.16 ERA in 25 games - eight starts.

Kuroda posted two straight quality starts to begin the season but had a little trouble with his command over the next two as he issued five walks. The native of Japan failed to complete six innings for the first time this season at Tampa Bay last Friday, allowing three runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 frames. Kuroda is 3-2 with a 2.16 ERA in six career starts against the Angels.

WALK-OFFS

1. Yankees RHP David Robertson (calf) made his first appearance since April 6 on Thursday and worked a scoreless inning.

2. Pujols is 6-for-22 with one home run in his career against Kuroda, while Trout is 3-for-7.

3. New York DH Alfonso Soriano has hit safely in eight straight games and has five RBIs in that span.

PREDICTION: Yankees 5, Angels 4