Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - Brett Lawrie smacked a three-run homer and the
Toronto Blue Jays routed the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, 11-2, in the third
of a four-game series.
Henderson Alvarez (5-6), who threw his only career shutout against the Angels
on May 4, gave up one run in seven innings en route to the win. He allowed
seven hits, struck out three and did not issue a walk.
Alvarez won for the second straight outing after seven unsuccessful tries. He
also allowed fewer than three runs for the first time since May 10.
Yunel Escobar homered during a seven-run second inning for the Jays, who have
won their last two after losing three in a row.
Colby Rasmus, Jose Bautista and Kelly Johnson all knocked in a run for
Toronto.
Garrett Richards (2-1) had thrown a quality start in all four of his 2012
outings coming into to Saturday, but the 24-year-old right-hander struggled
with poor command and poor fielding behind him. He allowed 10 runs -- five
earned -- on nine hits and four walks in 4 1/3 innings.
Lawrie got the Blue Jays started in the first inning. He led off with a double
to right field, then came around to score when Bautista grounded into a double
play.
The Jays then exploded for seven runs in the second with the aid of some shaky
fielding.
After Johnson hustled out a double to start the inning, Escobar blasted his
fifth home run of the season. J.P. Arencibia kept the inning alive with a two-
out single before the flood gates opened.
Peter Bourjos dropped a line drive off the bat of Lawrie, scoring Arencibia.
Rasmus doubled and Bautista singled to drive in two more. On Edwin
Encarnacion's single to left-center, Bautista advanced to third and then
scored after Mike Trout's throw found the Angels dugout. Johnson capped the
scoring when his bloop hit took a high hop on the turf, going over Trout's
head and leading to a run-scoring triple.
Maicer Izturis got a run back in the third when he knocked in Bobby Wilson
with a double, but the Jays piled on three more runs on Lawrie's fifth-inning
blast to make it 11-1.
Luis Perez pitched a scoreless eighth and David Pauley gave up a two-out run
in the ninth before finishing off the Angels, who have lost two straight on
the road after winning 14 of their previous 15.
Game Notes
Toronto finished the month 13-14 and has not had a winning June since
2007...The Blue Jays are 21-16 at the Rogers Centre and have won five of their
last six home games...Toronto is second in the majors with 102 home
runs...Bautista finished June with 14 home runs, a club record for most in a
single month...In his career against the Angels, Alvarez is 2-0 with a 1.57
earned run average (four earned runs in 23 innings)...The Blue Jays went 4-
for-10 with runners in scoring position while the Angels went 1-for-8.
The Sports Network