Blue Jays 7, Angels 3
Jose Bautista homered and Mark Buehrle worked six solid innings as Toronto avoided a four-game sweep against visiting Los Angeles.
Brett Lawrie added a two-run blast and Bautista finished with three hits for the Blue Jays. Buehrle (7-1) issued a season-high five walks but limited the damage to two runs and six hits to become the major leagues' first seven-game winner.
Bautista, who had a streak of 37 straight games reaching base come to an end in Sunday’s loss, got right back into a groove with a three-run homer in the first inning off C.J. Wilson (4-3). Mike Trout doubled in two runs and C.J. Cron added a solo home run for Los Angeles.
The first two batters reached on an infield single and a walk in front of Bautista, who swatted a 2-1 changeup into the stands in left field for his 10th homer and a 3-0 lead. Trout’s double off the wall in straightaway center in the third plated Collin Cowgill and Grant Green to cut the deficit to 3-2.
Lawrie restored the three-run advantage with a shot to left in the sixth as Wilson was charged with five runs on six hits while striking out eight in six innings. Cron got a run back with a blast to left off Steve Delabar in the eighth, but Juan Francisco delivered a two-run single in the bottom of the frame as the Blue Jays put it away.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Toronto CF Colby Rasmus left the game in the sixth inning with tightness in his right hamstring, shifting RF Bautista over to center. … Angels 1B/DH Albert Pujols went 0-for-4 in the game and is just 1-for-20 in his last five contests. … The Blue Jays continue their homestand by hosting the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday, while Los Angeles begins a two-game series at Philadelphia.