Angels 3, Blue Jays 2
TORONTO -- Left-hander Hector Santiago pitched seven strong innings and designated hitter David Freese snapped a tie with an eighth-inning sacrifice fly as the Los Angeles Angels defeated the Toronto Blue Jays, 3-2, on Tuesday.
Santiago (3-2) allowed four hits and two runs (one earned) and right fielder Kole Calhoun homered for the Angels (20-19).
Right-hander Huston Street pitched the ninth to earn his 13thsave.
Right-hander Aaron Sanchez (3-4) allowed six hits and three runs in 7 1/3 innings for the Blue Jays (18-23), who had a homer run from third baseman Josh Donaldson.
Sanchez took a 2-1 lead into the sixth inning.
It appeared in peril when shortstop Erick Aybar and center fielder hit singles with one out. But first baseman Albert Pujols bounced to third to start an inning-ending double play.
The Blue Jays had something going in their sixth. First baseman Edwin Encarnacion led off with a walk and catcher Russell Martin followed with a single.
Santiago retired the next two batters and with an 0-2 count on center fielder Kevin Pillar, he was visited by the Angels trainer. He resumed pitching after a couple of warmup pitches and struck out Pillar.
Calhoun walked to lead off the seventh, moved to second on a groundout by Freese and took third on a wild pitch. Left fielder Matt Joyce walked and catcher Chris Iannetta singled to left to tie the game 2-2.
Aybar led off the eighth with a single and took second on center fielder Mike Trout's groundout to third as Donaldson made a fine play. Pujols followed with a walk and Roberto Osuna replaced Sanchez to face Calhoun.
Calhoun loaded the bases with a fielder's choice bouncer to Donaldson when Aybar slid safely into the third. Freese gave the Angels a 3-2 lead on a sacrifice fly to center.
Right-hander Joe Smith replaced Santiago and pitched a 1-2-3 eighth.
Donaldson led off the Toronto first with his ninth home of the season, a drive to center on a 3-2 pitch. It was his second career homer leading off a game.
Donaldson has been batting in the leadoff spot the past three games while second baseman Devon Travis is out with a left shoulder irritation. Travis was replacing shortstop Jose Reyes, who is the regular leadoff man for the Blue Jays but has been out with a cracked rib and is about to begin a minor-league rehabilitation assignment.
The Angels tied the game with two outs in the fourth on the fourth home run of the season by Calhoun, who has been moved from first to fourth in the lineup to help a sagging offense.
The Blue Jays had their first two hitters reach base in the fifth, and it resulted in an unearned run that gave them a 2-1 lead.
Pillar reached first on a throwing error by Aybar and second baseman Steve Tolleson walked.
Shortstop Ryan Goins sacrificed the runners to second and third. Donaldson hit a sacrifice fly to center.
NOTES: Toronto designated RHP Todd Redmond for assignment Tuesday to make room for RHP Scott Copeland, who was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo after Monday's game. Redmond was promoted from Buffalo to make a spot start in Monday's 10-6 win over the Angels and did not factor in the decision. Redmond also was designated for assignment last month and cleared waivers. ... 2B Devon Travis (left shoulder irritation) was out of the Blue Jays' starting lineup for the third straight game. ... RHP Jered Weaver (2-4, 4.44 ERA) will try for his third consecutive win Wednesday when he opposes Toronto RHP Drew Hutchison (3-0, 6.17 ERA). ... OF/DH Matt Joyce started in left field for the Angels on Tuesday. He was a late scratch from the Monday afternoon game because he thought it was at night. He arrived when batting practice was under way and was fined for being late.