Dodgers’ Kenley Jansen rebounds against Angels’ Mike Trout

Kenley Jansen wanted revenge.

A day earlier, he had served up a home run to Mike Trout. Now, here he was facing Trout again in the ninth inning Saturday, this time with the game on the line.

With two men on and the Dodgers leading by three runs, Trout had a chance to level the game with a single stroke of his bat.

Jansen struck him out. He gave up a run-scoring single to Albert Pujols, but closed out a 3-1 victory over the Angels by forcing Erick Aybar to pop up. Jansen was credited with his 19th save.

In reference to Jansen’s strikeout of Trout, Manager Don Mattingly said, “Kind of showed who he is.”

Jansen thought so too.

“That’s who I’ve been since Day 1,” he said. “Someone gets me, I want to face them again.”

Mattingly said he wasn’t particularly concerned with the run charged to Jansen, explaining that if the Dodgers hadn’t been in a no-doubles alignment, Scott Van Slyke could have caught Pujols’ flare down the left-field line.

Jansen has given up a run in each of his three appearances in the Dodgers’ current homestand, something he blamed on a weeklong illness. “This sickness has been wearing me out,” he said. “Definitely I’m exhausted right now.”

He was shaky at the start of the ninth inning Saturday, as he allowed the first two batters to reach base.

“It didn’t look nice out there but I’m not worried at all,” he said.

Jansen has 125 saves in his career, which ties him with Jim Brewer for fourth-most by a Dodgers pitcher since the franchise relocated to Los Angeles in 1958.

Another big hit

Catcher Yasmani Grandal questioned the pitch selection of Angels reliever Fernando Salas leading up to his critical two-run home run in the sixth inning.

Salas threw Grandal three consecutive changeups, the third of which was blasted over the center-field wall to increase the Dodgers’ lead to 3-0.

“We’re major league hitters, you know?” Grandal said. “We see two pitches in a row and you throw it a third time and you try to throw it for a strike, we’re probably going to hit you.”

The home run was the 15th of the season for Grandal, who matched the career high he set with the San Diego Padres last season.

Grandal launched the homer from a left-handed stance. His previous two at-bats in the game were taken right-handed.

With right-handed-hitting backup catcher A.J. Ellis on the disabled list, the switch-hitting Grandal has been afforded more opportunities in recent days to hit right-handed. In his seven at-bats against left-handed pitchers over the last two days, he has five hits.

“I think it’s a matter of getting a bigger sample of at-bats righty … not just three here and then three a month later,” Grandal said.

Time off

Joc Pederson wasn’t in the Dodgers lineup again Saturday, as Mattingly said he wanted to give the slumping rookie center fielder a mental break.

Pederson also didn’t play the previous day in the series opener against the Angels.

“As much as anything, he gets a chance to watch the game,” Mattingly said. “A lot of times … you see so much more when you don’t have to try to perform. It’s just a day to let everything calm down. He’s able to do some work and not try to use it right away.”

Pederson batted only .169 with one home run and five runs batted in in 23 games in July. He has struck out 18 times in 54 plate appearances since the All-Star break and was dropped from the leadoff spot in the Dodgers lineup this week.

Short hops

Ellis is expected to be activated from the disabled list Tuesday, the first day he is eligible to be reinstated. Ellis has been sidelined because of knee inflammation. … Carlos Frias touched 97 mph in a rehabilitation game Friday night with Class-A Rancho Cucamonga. Frias gave up two runs and struck out eight in four innings.

MORE ON THE DODGERS:

Clayton Kershaw extends scoreless streak to 37 innings in 3-1 win

Joc Pederson out of Dodgers lineup for second consecutive day

Zack Greinke still in top form, leads Dodgers to 5-3 win over Angels