Toronto Blue Jays' Daulton Varsho is congratulated by George Springer (4) after hitting a three-run home run in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jayne-Kamin-Oncea)
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) – Daulton Varsho hit a three-run home run, Jose Berrios dominated over seven innings and the Toronto Blue Jays finished off a three-game sweep of the Los Angeles Angels with a 9-2 victory on Wednesday night.
Ernie Clement and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. each hit a two-run home run and Berrios (11-9) gave up one run on two hits with a walk and five strikeouts as the Blue Jays pulled off their third series sweep of the season and second on the road.
Varsho and Guerrero both had three hits and three RBIs, while Clement added a triple.
“I like the way the guys are going about it,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “With the veteran guys leading the way, we have a lot of young dudes that are kind of learning as they go. When you get good starting pitching like we did, it makes it a lot easier. But I love the way the guys went about it after travelling to the West.”
Matt Thaiss hit a home run for the Angels, who are 1-5 since winning consecutive series against the New York Mets and New York Yankees. Thaiss had two of the Angels’ three hits.
Los Angeles left-hander Tyler Anderson, an American League All-Star, gave up seven runs on six hits over 5 2/3 innings with four walks and eight strikeouts. It was the second time Anderson (9-11) allowed more than four earned runs in a start this season.
“Their starters beat up our hitters and their hitters beat up our starters,” Angels manager Ron Washington said. “We could never put something together to keep something going (offensively).”
The Blue Jays got the jump on Anderson in the second inning when Clement hit a home run, his seventh. It was his first home run since July 10.
Toronto made it 3-0 in the third inning on an RBI single from Guerrero and made it 6-0 in the fifth when Varsho hit a three-run shot, his 15th of the season.
“I don’t think it necessarily (is all about) the power,” Varsho said. “I think it’s about working the pitcher down and being able to make him make pitches and have him leave it over the middle part of the plate. And not missing that pitch.”
Thaiss’ home run to centre in the fifth inning, his second of the season, was just the second hit of the game for the Angels.
The Blue Jays added another run off of Anderson in the sixth inning on a sacrifice fly from Leo Jimenez to make it 7-1.
Guerrero’s two-run home run in the ninth inning was his 25th of the season and his second in two games.
“I think the biggest difference with (Guerrero), and with everyone, is the balls they’re fouling off now, before they get a mistake, we were putting in play earlier in the year,” Schneider said. “Vlad, in particular, he did that twice this series. It allowed us to take a deep breath with (Varsho’s) home run. We need more of that going forward.”
The Angels turned a hit batter, a walk and a sacrifice fly from Taylor Ward into a ninth-inning run.
While winning all three games of the series, Blue Jays pitchers held the Angels to five total runs on 12 hits.
“We were pitching pretty well with the starters and the relievers, and we had a pretty good series overall – offence, pitching and defence,” Berrios said. “It was fun to watch and it’s good we had the sweep.”
After collecting five total hits in the first two games of his career to start the series, Toronto’s Will Wagner did not play in the series finale.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Blue Jays: Berrios was hit in the right foot by a comebacker from the Angels’ Michael Stefanic in the third inning but remained in the game after a visit from Schneider and the training staff.
Angels: Two days after he departed a game because of right knee discomfort, catcher Logan O’Hoppe was given the day off. Shortstop Zach Neto and right-fielder Jo Adell also were given the day off.
UP NEXT
Blue Jays: After an off day Thursday, RHP Yariel Rodriguez (1-5, 3.60 ERA) will take the mound Friday for the opener of a three-game series against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.
Angels: After an off day Thursday, RHP Jose Soriano (6-7, 3.36 ERA) will pitch in the opener of a three-game home series against the Atlanta Braves.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
