Kansas City @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 21, 2014 ) Kansas City 3, LA Angels 7

The Los Angeles Angels are winners of back-to-back games and 10 of their last 13 thanks in part to a pitching staff firing on all cylinders. The Angels will try to get a start on their fifth straight series win when they host the Kansas City Royals in the opener of a three-game set Friday. Jered Weaver worked a complete game in a 2-1 victory on Wednesday and Los Angeles’ pitchers are surrendering an average of 2.9 runs in the last 13 contests.

The Royals dropped a pair of 7-6 decisions to the Chicago White Sox on Monday and Tuesday before Jeremy Guthrie ended a run of poor starts with seven strong innings to help earn a 3-1 victory in the finale. The win pushed Kansas City back to .500 as it begins a stretch with nine of the next 12 on the road. The Royals are trying to give their offense a boost by sitting Mike Moustakas in favor of Danny Valencia - even against some right-handed pitchers - and Valencia responded with three RBIs in the last two games.

TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, FSN Kansas City, FSN West (Los Angeles)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals LH Danny Duffy (2-3, 1.42 ERA) vs. Angels LH C.J. Wilson (5-3, 3.16)

Duffy took a perfect game into the seventh inning against Baltimore on Saturday and ended up allowing two hits in seven scoreless frames to pick up the win. The California native has made three starts since moving into the rotation and has allowed a total of two runs on six hits in 17 innings in that role. Duffy is making his first appearance against the Angels and is 1-2 with a 0.73 ERA on the road this season.

Wilson is coming off his second career shutout after limiting the Tampa Bay Rays to five hits while striking out seven. The 33-year-old has gone at least eight innings in three of his last four turns and owns 61 strikeouts in 62 2/3 innings. Wilson will be facing Kansas City for the first time since Sept. 14, 2012, when he surrendered four runs - three earned - in five innings and did not factor in the decision.

WALK-OFFS

1. Angels CF Mike Trout got his first day off Wednesday to rest an ailing left hamstring and is expected to be back Friday.

2. Kansas City C Salvador Perez (thumb) sat out the last two games but could return over the weekend.

3. Los Angeles 1B Albert Pujols has scored at least one run in four straight games.

PREDICTION: Angels 4, Royals 2