Game #74 Toronto Blue Jays (34-40) @ LA Angels (40-35) - game recap

Angels 3B Luis Valbeuna hit a pair of home runs as the Angels defeated the Blue Jays 8-5 

West Coast games are OK by me since they start at 7:00pm my time. The Blue Jays started a 7 game road trip tonight in Anaheim. They had the red-hot Mike Trout to contend with. He played his 1000th game tonight and he continues to get better every year. It looks like he'll be the DH for this series as he deals with a sprained finger. Aaron Sanchez was looking to build on a solid month of June. He has pitched at least 6 innings in his last 3 starts. Here is tonight's game recap.

Game highlights

• The Angels opened the scoring in the bottom of the 1st as Mike Trout scored on a wild pitch by Aaron Sanchez
• Albert Pujols doubled the lead by singling home Justin Upton
• The Blue Jays got one back in the top of the 2nd as Aledmys Diaz doubled scoring Kendrys Morales
• Aaron Sanchez pitching line: 1IP 2H 2R (both earned) 1BB 1K 25 pitches (12 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays tied the game in the top of the 3rd as Justin Smoak doubled home Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
• The Blue Jays took the lead in the top of the 4th  on a lead-off HR to right by Randal Grichuk
• John Lamb pitching line: 3.1IP 6H 3R (all earned) 1BB 4K 76 pitches (52 for strikes)
• The Angels took the lead in the bottom of the 4th on a Kole Calhoun 2-run HR that also scored Andrelton Simmons
• The Angels added 2 more in the bottom of the 5th as Luis Valbuena homered to left-center, also scoring Trout 
• The Angels added another one in the bottom of the 6th as Martin Maldanado doubled, scoring Calhoun
• The Blue Jays got one back in the top of the 7th as Gurriel Jr. smacked a HR over the wall in left-center
• Valbuena hit his second HR of the game in the bottom of the 7th to extend the Angel lead back to four runs
• Morales homered in the top of the 8th to get the Blue Jays within 3
• Final score: Angels 8 Blue Jays 5

My take:

• The Blue Jays got some bad news early on in this game. Starter Aaron Sanchez had to leave the game after the 1st inning. The injury may have been a blessing in disguise as it delays a potential roster decision if Sanchez is unable to make his next start or two.
• Mike Trout's 8-game hitting streak was snapped by the Blue Jays pitching staff. However, he still got on base three times, thanks to 3 walks in the game, one intentional.
• Kendrys Morales and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. both had good days at the plate with each collecting a pair of hits, including a home run.
• Some interesting roster decisions will have to be made in the next couple of days with Marcus Stroman set to return to the rotation Saturday, Steve Pearce ready to be activated from the DL and Sam Gaviglio likely to return from paternity leave sometime this weekend. Look for Aaron Sanchez to be placed on the 10 day DL. It is likely one of the relievers, probably Preston Guillmet will be sent down to make room for the returning players.
• Up next, the Blue Jays and Angels continue this 4-game series with righty Marco Estrada getting the start against lefty Andrew Heaney. Not many Blue Jays have faced Heaney, but Gio Urshela and Curtis Granderson are both 1-2 against the Angels southpaw while Kevin Pillar is a perfect 2 for 2.