Toronto @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 16, 2016 ) Toronto 5, LA Angels 0

Edwin Encarnacion has reached 40 homers for the second time in his career and is just three shy of setting a new personal high as the Toronto Blue Jays visit the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday for the third contest of their four-game series. Encarnacion's two-run blast capped a three-run ninth inning as Toronto claimed a critical 5-0 victory on Friday.

The Blue Jays and Baltimore occupy the American League's two wild-card spots while Seattle and Detroit sit three games behind. Toronto is just 5-9 this month but has won the first two games of the series by a cumulative 12-2 score. Blue Jays standout Josh Donaldson (hip) served as the designated hitter for the first two contests and went 4-for-5 with four walks after sitting out the previous three games. The Angels have scored just four runs while losing five straight and have dropped eight of their last nine contests to fall 21 games below .500.

TV: 9:05 p.m. ET, Sportsnet (Toronto), FSN West (Los Angeles)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays LH Francisco Liriano (7-12, 5.16 ERA) vs. Angels RH Ricky Nolasco (5-14, 4.94)

Liriano excelled in a no-decision against Tampa Bay on Monday, when he gave up two solo homers and one other hit in 6 1/3 innings. The solid outing came after a brief demotion to the bullpen and earned the 32-year-old another chance to start. Liriano is 2-5 with a 6.61 ERA in 10 career appearances (nine starts) against the Angels but has shut down Albert Pujols (2-for-17).

Nolasco is 1-6 with a 4.50 ERA in eight starts since the Angels acquired him from Minnesota. His lone victory for Los Angeles was a four-hit shutout against Cincinnati on Aug. 31, and he has dropped his two ensuing turns. Nolasco has received a no-decision in all four career starts against Toronto to go with a 4.91 ERA and has struggled with Troy Tulowitzki (6-for-19, one homer).

WALK-OFFS

1. Angels CF Mike Trout hasn't homered in 11 games while Pujols is mired in a 10-game powerless funk.

2. Tulowitzki hit a two-run blast on Friday - just his second in his last 16 games.

3. Los Angeles was hitless in 12 at-bats with runners in scoring position on Friday and is 1-for-17 in the series.

PREDICTION: Blue Jays 7, Angels 4