Blue Jays’ Pillar Extends Hitting Streak, Fall Short In Late Rally

After the late heroics by Jose Bautista in Friday night’s extra-innings victory, the Toronto Blue Jays pushed for a late rally, losing 5-4 to the Los Angeles Angels.

The Toronto Blue Jays are keeping up the consistency in hits while they were looking for their first winning streak of the season against the Los Angeles Angels. Unfortunately they came up just short on Saturday night, following a thrilling late night win on Friday.

Casey Lawrence, who made his first big league appearance in a relief situation a few weeks ago, found himself on the mound for his first career start against lefty Tyler Skaggs.

The Blue Jays took flight in the top of the first when Justin Smoak singled to centre as Darwin Barney scored to make it 1-0.

The Angels retaliated when C.J. Cron tied it up in the bottom of the first with a RBI single.

Lawrence ran into trouble in the bottom of the third. He walked a pair around a Mike Trout double, then he gave up a grand slam to Andrelton Simmons to make it 5-1 Angels.

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Lawrence pitched pretty well for first career big league start. After the grand slam, the Angels went 0-9 against Lawrence. The 29-year old pitched 6.2 innings, allowing eight hits on five earned runs with four strikeouts. He could very well stay in the rotation for next week’s series against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Leonel Campos came in for Lawrence with one out, and bases loaded in the top of the seventh. Campos escaped the situation quickly with a spectacular double play set up by Ryan Goins. He would allow a single in the bottom of the eighth before retiring the next three batters.

Skaggs pitched seven strong innings for the Angels. He was chased out of the game when Goins doubled to right field in the top of the eighth. Skaggs allowed seven hits with one earned run and four strikeouts. Reliever Kirby Yates came into the game afterward.

Yates wasn’t that helpful for the Angels as Kevin Pillar hit a home run to left field on a 2-2 count, scoring Goins to make it a 5-3 ball game. Pillar extended his hitting streak to 10 games with the home run.

The late rally from the Blue Jays continued into the top of the ninth. Yates gave up a home run to Smoak making it a one-run game. Bud Norris would pick up this first save in nine years thanks to the defensive efforts by the Angels. Jarrod Saltalamacchia would strike out to end the game. Saltalamacchia finished 0-4 with two strikeouts.

Next: Blue Jays' J.A. Happ suffers a set back in side session

The Angels (8-11) tied up the series with a 5-4 victory over the Blue Jays (4-13).

Marcus Stroman (1-2 4.05 ERA) will take the mound tomorrow afternoon back at Angel Stadium. Ricky Nolasco (1-2 4.76 ERA) will start for the Angels with the game getting underway at 3:37 p.m. EST.