Game #29 Toronto Blue Jays (14-15) @ LA Angels (13-17) - game recap

Brandon Drury hit a clutch HR for the 3rd time in 4 games in a losing effort as the Blue Jays were edged by the Angels 4-3

The Blue Jays opened their second west coast swing, taking on the LA Angels, the former team of Vladimir Guerrero Sr.. Freddy Galvis made his return to the lineup after missing most of the last week with a hamstring issue (he had a pinch hitting appearance vs. San Francisco and played 2 innings and got 2 AB against Oakland Sunday. Brandon Drury got the start in right field for the first time since 2016, when he made 27 starts and 32 games at the position for the Diamondbacks. Clay Buchholz was looking to continue his strong start to the season. Could the Blue Jays climb above .500 for the first time since the season-opening series? Here is tonight's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Blue Jays opened the scoring in the top of the 4th as Freddy Galvis scored on a wild pitch by Angels starter Griffin Canning
• The Angels tied it in the bottom half of the inning as Tommy La Stella singled home Andrelton Simmons
• A batter later, Jonathan Lucroy whacked a line drive over the wall in left center also scoring La Stella
• Brandon Drury got the Blue Jays within one leading off the top of the 5th with another clutch opposite field home run
• Three batters later, Teoscar Hernandez scored on a ground out by Billy McKinney
• Griffin Canning pitching line: 4.1IP 4H 3R (all earned) 1BB 6K 82 pitches (49 for strikes)
• Clay Buchholz pitching line: 5IP 6H 3R (all earned) 2BB 3K 95 pitches (58 for strikes)
• The Angels took the lead in the bottom of the 8th as Brian Goodwin tattooed a solo shot to left-center
• Hansel Robbles pitched a scoreless 9th for his second save of the season
• Final score: Angels 4 Blue Jays 3

My Take:

• Clay Buchholz battled his way through five innings, giving up 3 runs on 6 hits and a pair of walks. Buchholz made a heads up play to end the 3rd inning scampering to grab an errant throw from Eric Sogard, playing his third different position in a week (Sogard was at 3rd base until Guerrero Jr was recalled, then he switched to SS for the Oakland series and started at second base tonight with Freddy Galvis returning to action), before firing a strike to Rowdy Tellez to nail Mike Trout scrambling back to second base after confusion on the base paths. Justin Bour, who was on second base, chose to stay put, so Trout had to get back to second base.
• Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had what might have been his best game of his young career. He made a great diving play at 3rd base. I don't normally put links in the game recap, but this is a play you have to see again. At the plate, Guerrero Jr. showed great patience at the plate, drawing a pair of walks. His bat will come around as he gains more experience facing the pitchers he's never faced before. Once again, he was lifted for a pinch runner in the 9th. This time, it wouldn't have mattered if Rickey Henderson in his prime had been the pinch runner, it still would have been a DP. Hopefully Montoyo at some point trusts Guerrero Jr. to run the bases in a tight game. We don't want his bat taken out of the lineup as it was Sunday when the Blue Jays tied it and the game went into extra innings.
• Brandon Drury was clutch again at the plate, immediately putting his team within one after the Angels had taken the lead the previous inning. He is also having good at-bats. Sure he struck out to end the game, but there's no way the second-last pitch of the game was a strike. It was clearly an inch outside.
• Teoscar Hernandez's defense has turned 180. This season he is taking much better routes to the ball. Today, he made a great diving catch to rob Trout of a hit in the bottom of the 8th
• Up next, the Blue Jays look to even the series as ace Marcus Stroman pitches against Angels righty Felix Pena