Up with the bases loaded for the second straight at-bat, Trout hit a two-run single off Joaquin Benoit in the seventh.
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Pujols, who generally doesn’t like to talk about how he’s feeling physically, reached a milestone with his 100th RBI of the season in the Angels’ 6-3 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday.
“That’s a game I felt I was going deep for sure, but it didn’t bounce our way”, Happ said. If that ball doesn’t hit off my foot there, potential double play and it looks a whole lot different, maybe get out of there.
“Just 100 RBIs, it’s not the first time I’ve done it in my career”, Pujols said. Unfortunately for the Jays and their impressive left-hander, J.A. Happ, the streak that moves forward intact involves his inability to beat the Angels, having lost all five of his career starts with a 7.83 ERA over 23 innings. Both runners were also stranded. He was flawless through the next four innings but didn’t retire any of the five batters he faced in the sixth. “But just struggled to kind of get through that inning right there”.
He said he relished being the bearer of bad news to the Blue Jays.
Happ was checked by the trainer after being struck by Calhoun’s liner but said it didn’t bother him. He hit leadoff and served as the designated hitter. “But he comes in and works hard and tries to be on the field with us, and that’s all you could ask for”.
Happ threw one practice pitch for Gibbons and the Jays’ training staff, but after a pair of RBI singles by Mike Trout and Albert Pujols he was gone. Jose Valdez, J.C. Ramirez and Fernando Salas didn’t falter (well, Salas DID allow one run in the ninth), and a solid night for the Angels resulted in yet another win, as well as the series.
“He was rolling right along”, Gibbons said.
It will be the seventh start of the season and the 12th appearance for Dean and. “He came up in the right spots tonight and got hits”.
Lately, that has been the Jays’ luck. It’s not like they aren’t making contact at all, but when they do the balls seem to be heading directly to the opposing team. “They’re swinging it good”. “I hate saying the phrase but that’s baseball”. “We were on that stretch, but that was due to change, it always does”. We’ve fallen behind, and we haven’t been able to mount any (rallies), get that big hit to climb back in it or even open up some games.
Happ said that after the sting was gone being hit by the ball was a “non-factor”. “Like it or not, that’s part of it”.
The Blue Jays loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth on two-out singles by Kevin Pillar and Melvin Upton Jr. and a walk to Ezequiel Carrera.
After being checked by a trainer, Happ remained in the game and Trout slapped a two-run single to left to tie the game 2-2.
Josh Donaldson smashed a solo home run in the fifth for the second run. It was actually his second stint on the 15-day disabled list this season after he previously missed over a month with a sprained toe in June.
The Jays entered the game leading the American League East, half a game up on the Boston Red Sox.
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The game also marked the return of Jose Bautista from the disable list. Bautista was 1-for-4 with a run-scoring double and a sac fly. The two teams split the first two games, and in Thursday’s rubber match Toronto lost 6-3.
