ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Andrelton Simmons did everything in bunches Saturday night.
Simmons hit a tiebreaking grand slam in the third inning, then started the Angels' fourth double play with a diving stop in the ninth to help Los Angeles beat the struggling Toronto Blue Jays 5-4.
"Double plays are great, but grand slams are cool, too, especially when you win," Simmons said.
After home runs by Kevin Pillar and Justin Smoak, the Blue Jays had the tying run on first with nobody out in the ninth when Devon Travis hit a grounder up the middle that Simmons sprawled out to stop. Simmons flipped the ball to second base with his glove to start the 6-4-3 double play.
"I saw it off the bat, and knew I was getting to it," Simmons said. "Once it was in the glove, it was just practice."
Simmons cleared the bases against 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.
"Momentum was huge in the game, especially after the home run by Pillar," said Kole Calhoun, whose diving catch robbed Jose Bautista of extra bases an inning earlier. "To make that catch, and then Simmons making that diving play when they had a guy on definitely put it back on our side."
Tyler 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.
"He was fantastic," Calhoun said of Skaggs. "He went out, made his pitches, got those double plays when he needed them. He threw the ball well, worked into the eighth inning, which was huge for us, especially after last night."
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.
"Obviously those were two great plays," Toronto manager John Gibbons said. "Obviously Simmons is known for those kinds of double plays. But (Ryan) Goins made one just as good that bailed us out a few innings earlier."
Bud Norris pitched the ninth for his first save.
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.
Smoak led off the ninth 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
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.
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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More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball
Simmons hit a tiebreaking grand slam in the third inning, then started the Angels' fourth double play with a diving stop in the ninth to help Los Angeles beat the struggling Toronto Blue Jays 5-4.
"Double plays are great, but grand slams are cool, too, especially when you win," Simmons said.
After home runs by Kevin Pillar and Justin Smoak, the Blue Jays had the tying run on first with nobody out in the ninth when Devon Travis hit a grounder up the middle that Simmons sprawled out to stop. Simmons flipped the ball to second base with his glove to start the 6-4-3 double play.
"I saw it off the bat, and knew I was getting to it," Simmons said. "Once it was in the glove, it was just practice."
Simmons cleared the bases against 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.
"Momentum was huge in the game, especially after the home run by Pillar," said Kole Calhoun, whose diving catch robbed Jose Bautista of extra bases an inning earlier. "To make that catch, and then Simmons making that diving play when they had a guy on definitely put it back on our side."
Tyler 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.
"He was fantastic," Calhoun said of Skaggs. "He went out, made his pitches, got those double plays when he needed them. He threw the ball well, worked into the eighth inning, which was huge for us, especially after last night."
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.
"Obviously those were two great plays," Toronto manager John Gibbons said. "Obviously Simmons is known for those kinds of double plays. But (Ryan) Goins made one just as good that bailed us out a few innings earlier."
Bud Norris pitched the ninth for his first save.
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.
Smoak led off the ninth 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
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.
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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More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball
| View: Play-By-Play | Pitch-By-Pitch | Inning: All | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| Toronto - Top of 1st | SCORE | |
|---|---|---|
| Tyler Skaggs pitching for Los Angeles | TOR | LAA |
| Pillar bunt popped out to first. | 0 | 0 |
| Barney walked. | 0 | 0 |
| Bautista struck out swinging. | 0 | 0 |
| Morales singled to deep right, Barney to third. | 0 | 0 |
| Smoak singled to center, Barney scored, Morales to second. | 1 | 0 |
| Pearce struck out swinging. | 1 | 0 |
| 1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Bottom of 1st | SCORE | |
| Casey Lawrence pitching for Toronto | TOR | LAA |
| Escobar grounded out to second. | 1 | 0 |
| Calhoun struck out looking. | 1 | 0 |
| Trout safe at first on error by third baseman Barney. | 1 | 0 |
| Pujols singled to left, Trout to second. | 1 | 0 |
| Cron singled to center, Trout scored, Pujols to second. | 1 | 1 |
| Simmons grounded out to third. | 1 | 1 |
| 1 Runs, 2 Hits, 1 Errors | ||
| Toronto - Top of 2nd | SCORE | |
| Tyler Skaggs pitching for Los Angeles | TOR | LAA |
| Travis singled to right. | 1 | 1 |
| Saltalamacchia struck out swinging. | 1 | 1 |
| Goins grounded into double play, second to shortstop to first, Travis out at second. | 1 | 1 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Bottom of 2nd | SCORE | |
| Casey Lawrence pitching for Toronto | TOR | LAA |
| Maybin singled to left. | 1 | 1 |
| Maybin stole second. | 1 | 1 |
| Espinosa struck out swinging. | 1 | 1 |
| Graterol grounded out to shortstop, Maybin to third. | 1 | 1 |
| Escobar grounded out to shortstop. | 1 | 1 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Toronto - Top of 3rd | SCORE | |
| Tyler Skaggs pitching for Los Angeles | TOR | LAA |
| Pillar popped out to second. | 1 | 1 |
| Barney struck out looking. | 1 | 1 |
| Bautista flied out to left. | 1 | 1 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Bottom of 3rd | SCORE | |
| Casey Lawrence pitching for Toronto | TOR | LAA |
| Calhoun walked. | 1 | 1 |
| Trout hit a ground rule double to left, Calhoun to third. | 1 | 1 |
| Pujols popped out to second. | 1 | 1 |
| Cron walked. | 1 | 1 |
| Simmons homered to left center (397 feet), Calhoun, Trout and Cron scored. | 1 | 5 |
| Maybin grounded out to shortstop. | 1 | 5 |
| Espinosa grounded out to second. | 1 | 5 |
| 4 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Toronto - Top of 4th | SCORE | |
| Tyler Skaggs pitching for Los Angeles | TOR | LAA |
| Morales grounded out to shortstop. | 1 | 5 |
| Smoak walked. | 1 | 5 |
| Pearce singled to left, Smoak to second. | 1 | 5 |
| Travis grounded into double play, second to shortstop to first, Pearce out at second. | 1 | 5 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Bottom of 4th | SCORE | |
| Casey Lawrence pitching for Toronto | TOR | LAA |
| Graterol singled to shallow center. | 1 | 5 |
| Escobar grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, Graterol out at second. | 1 | 5 |
| Calhoun grounded into fielder's choice to second, Escobar out at second. | 1 | 5 |
| Trout lined out to left. | 1 | 5 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Toronto - Top of 5th | SCORE | |
| Tyler Skaggs pitching for Los Angeles | TOR | LAA |
| Saltalamacchia flied out to center. | 1 | 5 |
| Goins flied out to left. | 1 | 5 |
| Pillar grounded out to shortstop. | 1 | 5 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Bottom of 5th | SCORE | |
| Casey Lawrence pitching for Toronto | TOR | LAA |
| Pujols fouled out to right. | 1 | 5 |
| Cron grounded out to third. | 1 | 5 |
| Simmons struck out swinging. | 1 | 5 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Toronto - Top of 6th | SCORE | |
| Tyler Skaggs pitching for Los Angeles | TOR | LAA |
| Barney singled to left. | 1 | 5 |
| Bautista grounded into double play, third to second to first, Barney out at second. | 1 | 5 |
| Morales singled to left. | 1 | 5 |
| Smoak flied out to center. | 1 | 5 |
| 0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Bottom of 6th | SCORE | |
| Casey Lawrence pitching for Toronto | TOR | LAA |
| Maybin struck out swinging. | 1 | 5 |
| Espinosa grounded out to first. | 1 | 5 |
| Graterol grounded out to third. | 1 | 5 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Toronto - Top of 7th | SCORE | |
| Tyler Skaggs pitching for Los Angeles | TOR | LAA |
| Pearce grounded out to second. | 1 | 5 |
| Travis grounded out to third. | 1 | 5 |
| Saltalamacchia popped out to second. | 1 | 5 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Bottom of 7th | SCORE | |
| Casey Lawrence pitching for Toronto | TOR | LAA |
| Escobar grounded out to third. | 1 | 5 |
| Calhoun singled to deep right. | 1 | 5 |
| Trout doubled to deep left, Calhoun to third. | 1 | 5 |
| Pujols intentionally walked. | 1 | 5 |
| L Campos relieved Lawrence. | 1 | 5 |
| Cron grounded into double play, shortstop to second to first, Pujols out at second. | 1 | 5 |
| 0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Toronto - Top of 8th | SCORE | |
| Tyler Skaggs pitching for Los Angeles | TOR | LAA |
| Goins doubled to right. | 1 | 5 |
| Yates relieved Skaggs. | 1 | 5 |
| Pillar homered to left (408 feet), Goins scored. | 3 | 5 |
| Coghlan hit for Barney. | 3 | 5 |
| Coghlan flied out to center. | 3 | 5 |
| Bautista flied out to right. | 3 | 5 |
| Morales struck out swinging. | 3 | 5 |
| 2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Bottom of 8th | SCORE | |
| Leonel Campos pitching for Toronto | TOR | LAA |
| Coghlan at third base. | 3 | 5 |
| Simmons singled to left. | 3 | 5 |
| Maybin grounded into double play, shortstop to second to first, Simmons out at second. | 3 | 5 |
| Espinosa flied out to left. | 3 | 5 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Toronto - Top of 9th | SCORE | |
| Kirby Yates pitching for Los Angeles | TOR | LAA |
| Smoak homered to right (386 feet). | 4 | 5 |
| Norris relieved Yates. | 4 | 5 |
| Carrera hit for Pearce. | 4 | 5 |
| Carrera singled to right. | 4 | 5 |
| Travis grounded into double play, shortstop to second to first, Carrera out at second. | 4 | 5 |
| Saltalamacchia struck out swinging. | 4 | 5 |
| 1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
Game Information
| Stadium | Angel Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, CA |
| Attendance | 41,345 (90.9% full) - % is based on regular season capacity |
| Game Time | 2:35 |
| Weather | 85 degrees, clear |
| Wind | 7 mph |
| Umpires | Home Plate - David Rackley, First Base - Ramon DeJesus, Second Base - Alfonso Marquez, Third Base - Chad Fairchild |
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