The set-up: LA Angels began their six-game road trip earlier this week by getting swept in Cleveland to fall to 22-31 on the road. That's not exactly news, as the Angels haven't posted a winning road record since 2014. However, Rogers Centre in Toronto has been good to them recently. Mike Trout drove in two runs and C.J. Cron homered to back a career-high 7 1/3 innings from rookie Parker Bridwell in Friday's 7-2 LA win. That improved the Angels' record in Toronto to 12-4 over their last 16 games at Rogers Centre. The Blue Jays opened the second-half of their schedule by going 3-7 on a 10-game road trip but then returned home to sweep the A's in a four-game series to begin this week. However, last night's loss is just another indication that this isn't going to be Toronto's year. Toronto has played in the last two ALCS matchups but after going 8-17 in April, Toronto has just never recovered and at 48-55, the Jays are in last-place in the AL East (eight games out) and seven games back in the wild card chase. The 50-54 Angels are headed nowhere as well, buried far behind the Astros in the AL west and 5 1/2 games out in the wild card, with seven teams ahead of them.

The pitching matchup: Yusmeiro Petit (2-0, 2.70 ERA) goes for LA and Francisco Liriano (6-5 & 5.99 ERA) for Toronto. Petit will make his first start of 2017 in this one, after having made 36 appearances out of the bullpen this season. Liriano was able to beat Oakland last Monday 5-2 (2 ERs allowed in five innings), his best outing in a while. He had been 2-3 with a 7.52 ERA over his previous six starts (Jays are 3-3). It's been a very disappointing season for Liriano and his record against LA is not a good sign, either. In 11 career starts against the Angels, Liriano is 2-7 with a 5.90 ERA (teams are 4-7).

The pick: As noted, the Jays haven't really put together a real run this season but despite hehir recent success in Toronto, the Angels are not a good road team. Petit not only makes his first start of this season but it's also his first since June 20, 2016, when he pitched six innings of three-run ball in a defeat of the LA Dodgers (while with the Nats), in what was his ONLY start of last season. He is expected to throw between just 40 to 50 pitches. This 32-year-old journeyman's last win as a starter was back on September 9, 2014, when he pitched for the San Francisco Giants against the Arizona Diamondbacks. He is 16-24 with a 4.95 ERA in 58 career starts. Liriano and the Blue Jays win this one. Make Toronto an 8* Play.