TORONTO – Back-to-back homers from Joey Loperfido and Addison Barger in the ninth inning steered the Toronto Blue Jays to a 5-4 walk-off win against the Los Angeles Angels on Friday.
Loperfido and Barger’s bombs off Los Angeles reliever Roansy Contreras (2-3) extended the Blue Jays (61-68) homer streak to 12 games as the Angels (54-75) dropped their third in a row before 25,421 at Rogers Centre.
Chad Green (4-3) pitched the ninth for Toronto.
The four runs surrendered in the second inning by Chris Bassitt pushed the Angles out front.
Bassitt gave up four hits and two walks, striking out six. He lasted six innings and retired the last 10 batters he faced.
The big blow in the second inning was Jo Adell’s two-run double off the right-centre wall.
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Bassitt began the second inning by hitting former Blue Jays outfielder Kevin Pillar on the left elbow. He scored on Anthony Rendon’s double into the left-field corner.
Bassitt issued a two-out walk to rookie Niko Kavadas. A double steal moved Rendon to third and Kavadas to second. Adell’s double made it 3-0.
Adell scored on Taylor Ward’s single to left.
The home team made it close with a two-run fourth inning and added another run in the sixth.
On both occasions, Daulton Varsho singled and scored to extend his career-long on-base streak to 20 games, the longest current streak in the American League.
Varsho scored on Alejandro Kirk’s ground out to third in the fourth and Kirk’s single to left two innings later. Ernie Clement singled home Spencer Horwitz for the other run in the fourth after the latter doubled to left.
Angels starter Jack Kochanowicz left after Loperfido’s double to begin the seventh. Kochanowicz, who was making his fifth career start, gave up three runs on seven hits with a strikeout.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was given the night off, but he caught the ceremonial first pitch from Canadian Olympian Summer McIntosh, who wore her three gold medals from Paris.
OH DANNY BOY
Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora confirmed former Blue Jays catcher Danny Jansen will start in the resumption of the June 26 suspended game at Fenway Park on Monday afternoon.
Jansen will make history as the first person to play for both teams in a game. The Red Sox traded for him on July 27.
“Yeah, he’s catching,” Cora told reporters on Friday. “Let’s make history.”
Severe weather forced the game to be suspended two months ago.
ON DECK
Toronto right-hander Bowden Francis (6-3) will start the third game of the four-game set against the Angels on Saturday. Los Angeles will counter with righty Carson Fulmer (0-4).
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 23, 2024.