Russell Martin had three hits and two RBI, R.A. Dickey pitched 6 2/3 innings for his first home win since July 10 and the Blue Jays beat the Los Angeles Angels, 7-2, in Toronto Tuesday night.
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The Blue Jays entered the day tied with the Boston for first place in the American League East Division and stayed there after the Red Sox fell 4-3 to the Tampa Bay Rays in extra innings. His teammates gave him six runs to work with Tuesday, which he appreciated.
“Those are two of the best hitters on one team, and I made two good pitches to them”, Estrada said. “You can take some little risks that you might not normally take”.
“I just start messing around and I just play things that I like”, he said.
Of course, there are those who will use Estrada’s rough results on Wednesday-coupled with his five-hit, five-run outing in NY last week-to suggest that Toronto’s six-man rotation is having an adverse effect on his performance.
“They outplayed us”, Gibbons said. So, when Estrada threw Trout a nasty full count changeup that faded below the strike zone in the first inning, the Angels centre fielder simply went down and golfed it 411-feet off his shoelaces and into the left field seats for a solo shot. Martin is 12 for 27 with nine RBIs in his past five games. Los Angeles lost a record 14 straight road games in 1969.
Buss homered in the second to give the Angels a 2-1 lead.
Tonight’s play of the game is courtesy of Blue Jays second baseman, Darwin Barney. “I don’t think we’re taking anyone lightly”.
Along with his 24th home run of the season, Trout, an MVP candidate, added a double and single. The Angels have lost 15 of 18 overall.
“(Buss) looks very comfortable at the plate”, Scioscia said. “He’s certainly not overmatched. He looks like he belongs here”.
Outfielder Nick Buss was the only member of the Angels to really do any damage against Dickey following a rare Troy Tulowitzki miscue that allowed Andrelton Simmons aboard on what was ruled a generous single with one out.
Trailing 2-1, Toronto loaded the bases with no outs against Skaggs in the third.
Meanwhile, Toronto’s offence was completely shut down by Angels starter Matt Shoemaker, who three-hit the Blue Jays over six scoreless innings.
It was the start of a rough night for Estrada, who went five innings, giving up six earned runs on 10 hits, walking three (one intentional) and striking out four.
“Unfortunately, kind of the same stuff we’ve seen the last couple of starts”, Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “Whether it’s a release point issue, whether it’s a mechanical adjustment or whatever it is, he’s a hair off right now and he’s not able to make the pitches he needs to”.
Notes: Slugger Jose Bautista is expected to return from the DL on Thursday. Gibbons said Bautista will be used at DH often to protect his knee. Plus, Estrada has 48 other starts since he joined the Blue Jays rotation a month into 2015 to throw in the face of those people-a almost two-year sample that shows him to be one of the best pitchers in the American League. Josh Donaldson was thrown out trying to steal second.
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Pujols hadn’t had a four-hit game since June 17, 2013, against Seattle. Devon Travis was once again out of the Blue Jays lineup with a knuckle injury. RHP Ryan Tepera was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo to clear a spot for Pillar. He’s 0-4 with an 8.00 ERA in four career starts against Los Angeles. Marco Estrada found that out Wednesday when he took the mound with good stuff, throwing plenty of strikes and earning his usual amount of swing-and-miss. Estrada (7-6) is winless in his past three starts and has allowed six homers in that span.
