ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Justin Upton and Phil Gosselin each had two hits and drove in two runs, and the Los Angeles Angels defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 6-3 on Tuesday in the first game of an unusual doubleheader.
The opener of a four-game series featuring the top two home run hitters in the majors didn’t produce any long balls from Shohei Ohtani or Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Ohtani, who leads the majors with 37 homers, was 0 for 3 with an intentional walk. Guerrero, who has 35 home runs, was hitless in four at-bats.
Toronto batted last and was the “home” team at Angel Stadium in the first game, a makeup from an April 11 rainout at the Blue Jays’ temporary home field early this season in Dunedin, Florida. In the regularly scheduled nightcap, the Angels were the home team.
Guerrero had a huge fielding miscue when he misplayed Jo Adell’s popup in the fifth inning. He was unable to track the ball behind first base and let it glance off his glove as two runs scored to extend Los Angeles’ lead to 4-1.
Upton put the Angels on the board with a two-run single in the third. After the Blue Jays got within 4-3 in the fifth, Gosselin provided some insurance with a two-run single in the sixth.
Los Angeles right-hander Chris Rodriguez allowed only one run over four innings in his first career start at Angel Stadium. He pitched out a bases-loaded jam in the fourth when he got George Springer to ground into an inning-ending double play.
“You know, that’s where being a reliever kind of helped me a lot. I wanted a ground ball and I got a ground ball,” said Rodriguez, who gave up six hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
Junior Guerra (3-2) got the win with a scoreless sixth, and Raisel Iglesias retired the side in the seventh for his 25th save.
Marcus Semien had three hits, including an RBI double in the third to bring the Blue Jays within 2-1.
Steven Matz (9-7) went 4 1/3 innings for Toronto. He was charged with four runs (two earned) and six hits. The left-hander struck out five and walked three.
“I don’t necessarily take away that it was a bad outing, Those guys battled and they hit some singles through the infield,” Matz said.
Toronto closed to 4-3 in the fifth when Semien scored on Teoscar Hernandez’s single. Corey Dickerson followed with an RBI triple to left-center.
TRAVELING HOME SHOW
Toronto joined the 1898 Cleveland Spiders and 1902 Cleveland Bronchos as the only big league teams to be the home team in four different ballparks during one season. However, the Blue Jays are the first team to play home games in four different states or provinces in the same season.
Although the Blue Jays batted last, all statistics and records will count as Angels home and Toronto road totals. According to baseball rules, the home team is based on the venue in which the game takes place.
STREAKING ALONG
Angels outfielder Juan Lagares’ single in the fifth extended his hitting streak to 13 games, which ties a career high.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Blue Jays: RHP Trent Thornton was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo as the 27th man for the doubleheader.
Angels: Rodriguez was the 27th man. … RHP Griffin Canning will miss the rest of the season due to a lower back stress fracture.
UP NEXT
Angels LHP José Suarez (5-4, 3.60 ERA) has allowed 18 runs (14 earned) over 22 2/3 innings in five starts this season. Blue Jays RHP Ross Stripling (5-6, 4.43) has won his last two starts.
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Joe Reedy, The Associated Press