Angels @ Cubs

Who will WIN this matchup?

Los Angeles Angels (29-30)

@ Chicago Cubs (31-26)

Starting Pitchers:

Cahill (LAA): 2-5; 6.92 ERA

Lester (CHC) 3-4; 3.59 ERA

Last 10 Games Played:

Los Angeles Angels: 6-4

Chicago Cubs: 3-7

Current odds:

Los Angeles Angels: (+145)

Chicago Cubs: (-165)

• The Chicago Cubs hope to halt their freefall when they host the surging Los Angeles Angels on Monday afternoon for an interleague contest, which is a makeup for the game on April 14 that was postponed due to snow. The Cubs, who have lost six of their last seven, were swept in three games over the weekend at St. Louis after a 2-1 setback Sunday to fall out of first place in the National League Central. Chicago managed just three hits – failing to score until the ninth inning – on Sunday and totaled just six runs in the series at St. Louis to drop 1 1/2 games behind first-place Milwaukee in the division, but plays the next seven games at home where it is 18-10. Veteran lefty Jon Lester looks to rebound from a rough stretch at the end of May when he takes the mound for the Cubs on Monday and the Angels counter with right-hander Trevor Cahill, who is also hoping to turn things around after an uneven month.

• Los Angeles can climb back to the .500 mark with a victory after winning seven of its last nine contests, including Sunday’s 13-3 triumph at Seattle, and will play nine in a row at home following the one-game set in the Windy City. David Fletcher had two doubles and a single Sunday to extend his hitting streak to 12 games (21-for-49) while slugger Albert Pujols homered for the second straight day and is one blast from recording 200 in each league.

• Cahill hopes to change his fortunes in June after a rough month of May in which he went 1-3 with an 8.22 ERA in five starts across 23 innings. The 31-year-old California native, who has served up 16 homers in 11 starts, allowed six runs on six hits across 4 1/3 innings in a loss at Oakland on Monday. Jason Heyward is 5-for-10 with a homer versus Cahill, who is 3-1 with a 4.00 ERA in five career appearances (four starts) against the Cubs.

• Lester was rolling along with a 1.16 ERA before struggling mightily in his last three starts while allowing 19 runs (16 earned) across 14 innings combined. The 35-year-old Washington native served up four homers in those three starts after surrendering three in his first 10 outings. Pujols is 5-for-15 with two doubles against Lester, who is 5-4 with a 3.69 ERA in 12 career starts versus the Angels and 26-15 in interleague play.

• Los Angeles CF Mike Trout is 8-for-14 with a pair of homers and seven RBIs in his last four contests.

• Chicago 1B Anthony Rizzo saw his 13-game hitting streak end on Sunday, but is 22-for-53 with 14 RBIs in the past 14 contests.

• Angels LF Cesar Puello is 9-for-19 with two homers and six RBIs in four games since being recalled.