Bo Bichette’s two-out, three-run home run in the seventh inning lifted the Toronto Blue Jays to a come-from-behind 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels Friday night in Anaheim, Calif.
A Mike Trout home run and six strong innings by starting pitcher Patrick Sandoval helped the Angels to a 3-1 lead heading into the seventh inning. But with Sandoval out of the game, the Blue Jays took advantage of the Angels’ bullpen.
Matt Moore gave up a leadoff single to Santiago Espinal before retiring the next two hitters. Angels manager Phil Nevin then summoned Jimmy Herget, who yielded a single to George Springer before Bichette got ahold of a 76-mph curve from Herget, hitting it over the fence in left-center for his second homer of the year and a 4-3 Blue Jays lead.
Blue Jays relievers Yimi Garcia, Erik Swanson and Jordan Romano (fourth save) each pitched a scoreless inning to finish it off.
Blue Jays starter Chris Bassitt (1-1) earned the victory after throwing six innings and allowing three runs (two earned) on two hits and five walks with five strikeouts. Things did not start well for Bassitt, who was hit with a pitch clock violation before he made his first pitch of the game.
As Angels leadoff hitter Taylor Ward stepped to the plate to begin the bottom of the first inning, Bassitt fidgeted with the PitchCom device on his belt and seemed to be having trouble communicating with catcher Alejandro Kirk.
The pitch clock expired and plate umpire Brian Knight called the violation, making the count 1-0 to Ward. Ward eventually walked, and Trout followed by hitting the first pitch he saw from Bassitt over the fence in left center for a home run and a 2-0 Angels lead.
Sandoval held the Blue Jays scoreless through three innings before Toronto loaded the bases with one out in the fourth. Sandoval got Espinal to hit a grounder to second baseman Brandon Drury, but Drury had trouble getting the ball out of his glove. Instead of an inning-ending double play, the Angels were only able to get a force out at second base, allowing Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to score from third and cut the Angels’ lead to 2-1.
The Angels got the run back in the bottom of the fourth after Gio Urshela walked with one out. Urshela stole second and went to third on Kirk’s throwing error.
After Logan O’Hoppe walked, David Fletcher pushed a bunt up the first-base line, reaching safely because Guerrero’s foot was not on the bag as he received the throw from Bassitt. Urshela scored on the play to increase the Angels’ lead to 3-1.
Herget (0-1) got the loss and Sandoval, despite allowing just one run and six hits in six innings, got a no-decision.
–Field Level Media
