Game #75 LA Angels (38-38) @ Toronto Blue Jays (27-48) - game recap

Billy McKinney hit a walk-off HR in the 10th as the Blue Jays beat the Angels 7-5 

After being thoroughly outclassed by the Angels, both in this series and in the season series, having lost all 6 games between the two squads and been outscored 40-20. Teoscar Hernandez made his return to the lineup after missing a couple of days after dinging his wrist in a collision with the wall. Cavan Biggio continued to be bounced around the lineup, batting cleanup tonight and occupying second base. Luke Maile got the start behind the plate. Ken Giles made his return to the bullpen after a ten day stint on the IL with elbow inflammation. Could the Blue Jays eke out a win vs. perhaps the best player in the MLB in Mike Trout? Here is today's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Blue Jays opened the scoring in the bottom of the 1st as Eric Sogard scored on as a sac fly by Cavan Biggio
• A batter later, Teoscar Hernandez whacked a 2-run shot into the Angels bullpen also scoring Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
• The Angels got a pair back in the top of the 2nd as Luis Rengifo lined a 2-run shot into the Blue Jays bullpen also scoring Tommy La Stella
• The Blue Jays added a run in the bottom of the 2nd as Sogard smack a solo shot to right-center
• The Angels got one back in the top of the 5th on a ground out by Wilfredo Tovar that scored Rengifo
• The Blue Jays added a run in the bottom of the 5th on a solo shot by Gurriel Jr. to left
• The Angels got one back in the top of the 6th as Rengifo singled home Kole Calhoun
• Clayton Richard pitching line: 5IP 6H 4R (all earned) 2BB 2K 74 pitches (45 for strikes)
• Jose Suarez pitching line: 5IP 8H 5R (all earned)3BB 6K 90 pitches (49 for strikes)
• The Angels tied it in the top of the 7th on a sac fly by Albert Pujols that scored Mike Trout 
• The Blue Jays won it in the bottom of the 10th as Billy McKinney hit a walk-off w-run HR to right-center in his first AB since being recalled a couple of days ago. Also scoring on the play was Randal Grichuk
• Final score: Blue Jays 7 Angels 5

My Take:

• Clayton Richard battled his way through five innings, giving up 4 runs on 6 hits and a pair of walks. I thought he had good movement on his pitches tonight. Richard has been one of the Blue Jays better pitchers and his ERA is still a rough 7.46.
• I loved the fight the offence showed today. They jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the 1st and immediately responded with runs in 2 of the innings the Angels scored in. Nice to see Billy McKinney hit a walk-off HR in his first AB since being recalled this week.
• Eric Sogard and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. both finished a triple shy of the cycle. Sogard also drew a pair of walks and got himself on base all five times he came to bat.
• Luke Maile had a mixed results night. Defensively, he made a nice recovery on a wild pitch to nail Dustin Garneau, who would have tied the game if he had scored. At the plate, Maile was 0-4, including a really ugly strikeout where he was trying a sac bunt to move the runners over a base. He missed badly on all three attempts and really the bunting sign should be taken off with three strikes
• Ken Giles came off the IL and threw a clutch inning to keep the game tied in the 9th, striking out 2 batters
• Up next, the Blue Jays hit the road to Fenway Park, where they will take on a Red Sox team that's trying to keep pace in the wild card race and gain ground on both the Rays and Yankees. The Blue Jays will be facing their 4th straight lefty to open the series as Red Sox ace Chris Sale takes the ball. Rookie righty Trent Thornton comes into this start coming off a phenomenol start where he threw 6.2 shutout innings.