Los Angeles @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 2, 2015 ) LA Angels 3, LA Dodgers 5

No team was happier to turn the calendar last week than the Los Angeles Angels, who were 10-19 in August but have won four of their first five games this month. The Angels are 2 1/2 games behind Texas for the second American League wild-card spot heading into Monday’s series opener against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers, who have won 11 of their last 13 and lead the National League West by 7 1/2 games over San Francisco.

If the Angels are going to continue their playoff run, they’ll need a power surge from Mike Trout, who snapped a 27-game homerless streak with a solo blast in Sunday’s 7-0 win over the Rangers. The Angels also are hoping the victory sparks the bottom of the lineup, as 7-9 hitters David Freese, Carlos Perez and Taylor Featherston combined to go 8-for-11 with two RBIs and five runs scored. The trio of struggling hitters will need to produce against the Dodgers, who moved a season-best 20 games over .500 with Sunday’s 5-1 win at San Diego. Andre Ethier enters the series on a tear, batting .404 since Aug. 9, but Yasmani Grandal is 0-for-33 with 15 strikeouts in his last 11 games.

TV: 9:05 p.m. ET, SportsNet LA (Dodgers), FSN West (Angels)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers RH Zack Greinke (15-3, 1.59 ERA) vs. Angels RH Nick Tropeano (1-2, 5.51)

Greinke has moved to the front of the NL Cy Young Award race by going 10-1 with a 1.47 ERA in 12 starts since June 27. The major-league ERA leader turned in another stellar performance on Tuesday, when he allowed one run against the Giants while throwing 114 pitches over 7 1/3 innings. Greinke held the Angels to two runs in eight frames on July 31 but is just 2-5 with a 3.86 ERA in 11 career games (10 starts) against the Dodgers' nearby rival.

Tropeano has been recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake to start in place of Matt Shoemaker, who hopes to return from a strained right forearm next week. The 25-year-old is making his fourth start of the season for the Angels and aiming to improve on his last outing, when he allowed six runs over 4 1/3 innings in an 8-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox on Aug. 20. Tropeano cruised through the first four frames but retired just one of the seven batters he faced in the fifth.

WALK-OFFS

1. Dodgers manager Don Mattingly indicated he may start Justin Turner at first base and have Adrian Gonzalez serve as the team’s designated hitter for Monday’s contest.

2. The Angels have lost six straight against the Dodgers dating back to last season.

3. Dodgers RHP Brett Anderson left Sunday’s game with a left calf cramp but expects to make his next start.

PREDICTION: Dodgers 5, Angels 1