*Photo from TheScore*
Tight, back and forth matchups usually have the team that has momentum last win the game. Cavan Biggio doubled home a run, Matt Chapman drove in two key runs, and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Los Angeles Angels with a 6-5 victory on Saturday night in Anaheim.
Entering the 8th inning trailing 4-3, Chapman's double gave the Blue Jays a lead, and, as part of a 3 run 8th inning, a lead that lasted, winning 6-5 for their 4th straight win, and 3rd straight against the Angels, clinching a series win. All together, they've won 7 of their last 10 games.
Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said of Chapman that "His average is not that high right now, but you should see him in that dugout, pulling for everybody and being happy. I appreciate people like that. This is a good clubhouse, it just got better with Chapman, for sure. And that defense. You guys know about that defense."
Vladimir Guerrero Jr got the Blue Jays on the board early, doubling home Bo Bichette in the first inning to make it a 1-0 ballgame. It stayed that way until the 5th, when the Angels took a 2-1 lead on an RBI double by Matt Duffy and a RBI groundout from Jared Walsh.
In the 7th inning, the Blue Jays regained momentum. First, it was Biggio, doubling to deep right field, scoring Danny Jansen and tying the game 2-2. Up next was Alejandro Kirk, who plated Biggio with an RBI single to right center field, putting Toronto ahead 3-2. In the bottom of the inning, Mike Trout put the Angels ahead 4-3 with a two run home run to center field.
Once the 8th inning began, Toronto took over. Chapman laced a double to the right center field gap, scoring Guerrero Jr and Teoscar Hernandez, to put the Blue Jays ahead 5-4. Chapman then came around to score on an RBI double from Raimel Tapia. In the 9th, the Angels got one run back on an RBI single from Brandon Marsh, but couldn't extend the game farther.
Biggio said of the team's hitting that "We're just getting going as a team. Some guys struggled in the beginning of the season, but we’re getting those guys going, and it’s going to be exciting going forward."
Getting the win for the Blue Jays out of the bullpen was Adam Cimber, who finished the 7th inning with 3 outs to get the win. Yusei Kikuchi got the start for the Blue Jays, allowing two runs on 9 hits and one walk over 5 innings pitched. David Phelps, Julian Merryweather, Trevor Richards, Jordan Romano, and Ross Stripling also pitched, with Stripling getting the save.
For the Angels, Michael Lorenzen started and had a solid outing, allowing 3 runs on 5 hits and two walks over 6 2/3 innings, in a no decision. Kyle Barraclough got the loss after allowing two runs in 1/3 of an inning. Archie Bradley, Aaron Loup, and Janson Junk also pitched.
Angels manager Joe Maddon said of the loss that "We've played this game too often. We have to get by that and really settle the back end of the bullpen down. I have a lot of faith in these guys, but it's just not working right now. We've had several games over the last week or 10 days that we should have put away, and we have not. I don't have a really good reason for you right now."
Up next, the Blue Jays and Angels wrap up their series on Sunday afternoon. Jose Berrios will take the mound for the Blue Jays, while the Angels counter with Patrick Sandoval.
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