TORONTO – It’s late July, but the atmosphere at Toronto’s Rogers Centre feels like a playoff game. Matt Chapman and Danny Jansen hit solo home runs in the second and third innings to give the Blue Jays a lead, leading them to a 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday. This win ended L.A.’s four-game winning streak and was a crucial win for Toronto in their hunt for a playoff spot in the American League.
“We’re fighting every day for a playoff spot,” said Chapman. “So, with that in mind and our teamwork, things are going pretty well right now.”
Whit Merrifield had a strong performance, going 3 for 4 with a home run, as the Blue Jays secured their 13th win in the last 19 games. Bo Bichette also contributed with an RBI double in the sixth inning. The Blue Jays currently sit five games behind the division-leading Baltimore Orioles in the American League East and hold the third and final AL wild-card position. Meanwhile, the Angels are four games behind the wild-card spot, with the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox ahead of them.
While the games may not be as dramatic as they will be in September, they are still important matchups against strong teams that are in the playoff race,” Merrifield stated.
Kevin Gausman was outstanding on the mound for the Blue Jays, providing six-plus innings and nine strikeouts. He allowed only one run on five hits and three walks. The Blue Jays’ relievers, Erik Swanson, Tim Mayza, Jordan Romano of Markham, Ont., and Yimi Garcia, maintained Gausman’s lead and secured the win for the team, with Garcia earning his third save.
The Angels’ only offense came from Shohei Ohtani’s first-inning home run. Lucas Giolito, who made his Angels debut, pitched 5 1/3 innings, giving up three runs on six hits and a walk with five strikeouts. Giolito was recently traded from the Chicago White Sox to the Angels along with Reynaldo Lopez.
Looking ahead, Chapman acknowledged the importance of the upcoming games, as teams make their moves and push for the playoffs.
Chapman hit a home run in the second inning, tying the game. Jansen followed suit in the third inning, giving the Blue Jays the lead. Merrifield extended their lead with a home run in the seventh inning, making it 4-1. In the ninth inning, Romano got into trouble but managed to secure the win, despite leaving the game due to lower back discomfort.
Nevin, the Angels’ manager, confronted the home-plate umpire after the game, resulting in tensions between the teams.
The next game will feature Alek Manoah starting for the Blue Jays and Reid Detmers on the mound for the Angels.