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Simmons Belts Grand Slam To Lead Angels Past Blue Jays

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Andrelton Simmons hit a tiebreaking grand slam, Tyler Skaggs pitched into the eighth inning and the Los Angeles Angels held off the slumping Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 Saturday night.

Simmons cleared the bases in the third inning off Casey Lawrence (0-2) for his second career grand slam, helping the Angels snap a three-game losing streak and win for the second time in 11 games.

Skaggs (1-1) gave up a run in the first but settled down to hold the Blue Jays to five hits over the next six innings, getting the Blue Jays to hit into three double plays along the way. He was lifted after Ryan Goins doubled to lead off the eighth.

Toronto is a majors' worst 4-13 and placed star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki on the 10-day disabled list prior to the game. Tulowitzki has a strained right hamstring.

Bud Norris pitched the ninth for his first save.

This was the second straight strong performance for Skaggs, a 25-year-old left-hander who pitched seven shutout innings against Kansas City on Sunday.

Kevin Pillar extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a two-run homer off reliever Kirby Yates, one batter after Skaggs was lifted, making the score 5-3.

Justin Smoak led off the ninth inning with a homer off Yates to pull the Blue Jays within 5-4.

Lawrence gave up five runs and eight hits in 6 1/3 innings.

Mike Trout had a pair of doubles, giving him 13 extra-base hits on the season, passing Boston's Mitch Moreland for the most extra-base hits in the American League this season.

Trout ripped a ground-rule double down the left-field line in the fifth inning and scored on Simmons' slam.

He also drove a fly ball off the left-field wall for an easy two-bagger with one out in the seventh.

Trout also scored the Angels' first run in the first inning. He reached on an error, took second on a single by Albert Pujols and scored on a single up the middle by C.J. Cron.

RELOADING RELIEVERS

Both teams reloaded their bullpens after they combined to use 15 pitchers in Friday night's 13-inning game. The Blue Jays called up RHP Yoenel Campos from Triple-A Buffalo, while the Angels called up RHPs Daniel Wright and Yates from Triple-A Salt Lake.

TRAINER'S ROOM

The eighth inning of Friday night's 5 1/2-hour game proved costly for both teams. Tulowitzki injured himself going from second to third on a wild pitch. Angels reliever Cam Bedrosian, who threw the wild pitch, was also placed on the disabled list Saturday with a groin injury.

SOLID AT SHORT

Ryan Goins shored up the Jays' defense at shortstop with Tulowitzki out. In the seventh inning, Pujols scorched a grounder into the hole that Goins stopped with a full dive, then he backhanded the ball to second to start a sensational double play.

LONG HAUL

Jose Bautista's tough luck at the plate continued when Kole Calhoun ran down his long fly ball to right-center and caught it with an all-out dive.

UP NEXT

Blue Jays: RHP Marcus Stroman (1-2, 4.05) makes his fourth start of the season, and first since giving up six runs and 11 hits in 4 2/3 innings in a lost to Boston on Tuesday night.

Angels: Prior to Saturday's game, manager Mike Scioscia declined to offer his selection for Sunday's starting pitcher, telling reporters his decision was "depending upon what happens tonight."

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