Toronto @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 17, 2016 ) Toronto 1, LA Angels 6

After a brief resurgence allowed them to feel good about themselves following a rough start to September, the Toronto Blue Jays' offense short-circuited once again last time out. The Blue Jays hope to bounce back from a frustrating loss when they attempt to win their first series in five tries Sunday, as they wrap up a four-game road set against the Los Angeles Angels.

Toronto began this month by winning only three of its first 12 contests before securing five-run victories over the Angels on Thursday and Friday to strengthen its hold in the American League wild-card race and remain within striking distance of Boston in the AL East. The Blue Jays found only frustration in Saturday's 6-1 defeat in Los Angeles, however, scoring three runs or fewer for the ninth time this month despite pounding out 10 hits in large part because they went 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position. The loss kept Toronto (81-67) from taking advantage of Baltimore's setback earlier in the day - leaving the division rivals tied for the lead in the wild-card chase - while increasing the Red Sox's advantage in the East to three games. The Angels put an emphatic end to their five-game slide in Saturday's rout, snapping out of their own offensive doldrums by posting their highest run total since Sept. 5.

TV: 3:35 p.m. ET, Sportsnet (Toronto), FSN West (Los Angeles)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH Marcus Stroman (9-8, 4.55 ERA) vs. Angels RH Alex Meyer (0-3, 8.18)

Stroman remained winless over his last five turns on Tuesday, taking the loss against Tampa Bay after yielding three runs on four hits and four walks over six innings. The 25-year-old Duke product, who issued more than two free passes for the first time in 13 trips to the mound, has given up three earned runs or fewer in four of the outings since getting his last victory on Aug. 14. Stroman was roughed up in his only two appearances (one start) versus the Angels in 2014, surrendering nine earned runs in 5 1/3 innings.

Meyer suffered his second setback in as many starts since arriving from Minnesota in the Hector Santiago trade on Aug. 1, allowing four runs - including a pair of homers - over as many innings in a home loss to Seattle on Tuesday. The Indiana native has yet to earn a victory in six big-league appearances (three starts), failing to log more than four innings or 76 pitches in any of them. Meyer has yet to face the Blue Jays in his brief career and is 0-2 with a 6.14 ERA in September despite holding hitters to a .222 average.

WALK-OFFS

1. Angels DH Albert Pujols on Saturday homered for the 30th time in 2016, joining Hank Aaron, Barry Bonds and Alex Rodriguez as the only players to reach the plateau at least 14 times.

2. Toronto 2B Devon Travis is batting .403 during his career-best 14-game hitting streak.

3. Los Angeles' Mike Scioscia on Saturday tied Hall-of-Famer Earl Weaver for 23rd place on the all-time list with his 1,480th managerial win.

PREDICTION: Blue Jays 8, Angels 4