New York @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 20, 2016 ) NY Yankees 5, LA Angels 1

The New York Yankees hope to continue their climb in the American League wild-card standings and complete a three-game sweep when they visit the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday for the finale of their series. A trip to the West Coast apparently has been exactly what New York needs, as the club has outscored the Angels 12-1 in winning the first two games of the series after dropping three of its last four at home.

Rookie Gary Sanchez homered for the fifth time during his six-game hitting streak Saturday while Luis Cessa tossed six scoreless innings in his first major league start as the Yankees rolled to a 5-1 triumph and pulled within four games of AL East rival Baltimore for the second wild card. Sanchez is 12-for-22 with four multi-hit performances during his streak, with seven of his hits going for extra bases. Los Angeles continued its downward spiral Saturday, recording only four hits as it lost for the 14th time in 16 contests. Albert Pujols prevented the Angels from being shut out for a second straight night by leading off the ninth inning with his 583rd career home run, tying him with Mark McGwire for 10th place on the all-time list — three behind Frank Robinson for ninth.

TV: 3:35 p.m. ET, YES (New York), FSN West (Los Angeles)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Chad Green (2-2, 4.05 ERA) vs. Angels RH Jhoulys Chacin (3-8, 5.92)

Green is coming off a superb performance against Toronto on Monday in which he allowed only two hits and struck out 11 in six scoreless innings. The 25-year-old native of South Carolina has not started on the road since July 8, when he was battered for seven runs and five hits — four homers — in 4 1/3 frames at Cleveland. Green, who never has faced the Angels, is 1-2 with a 6.00 ERA in four games (three starts) away from home this year.

Chacin has struggled in two starts since rejoining the rotation, surrendering 11 runs and 13 hits in only six total innings. The 28-year-old Venezuelan came out of the bullpen in eight of his previous nine appearances after occupying a spot in the rotation during the first three months of the season. Chacin made his first career start against the Yankees on June 9, when he surrendered five runs and seven hits over 5 1/3 innings of a loss at New York.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Angels placed 3B Yunel Escobar on the seven-day concussion list and designated INF Johnny Giavotella for assignment while activating 1B C.J. Cron from the 15-day disabled list and recalling INF Kaleb Cowart from Triple-A Salt Lake.

2. New York 3B Chase Headley (Achilles) missed his second straight game Saturday.

3. Pujols has gone deep against 375 different pitchers in his career.

PREDICTION: Angels 5, Yankees 4