ANAHEIM, California, USA – Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit an RBI single and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Los Angeles Angels 4-0 on Tuesday for a rare doubleheader.
Justin Upton and Phil Gosselin had two hits and two runs per head in Game 1, which the Angels won 6-3.
Toronto batted last and was the “home” team at Angel Stadium in Game 1, making up for a rain-canceled game on April 11 in Dunedin, Florida, where the Blue Jays played earlier in the season. In the second game, the Angels played home.
The first two games of the four-game series featuring the top two major league home runners of the season did not include a single home run by Shohei Ohtani or Guerrero.
Japan’s Ohtani, who leads the majors with 37 homers, started the second game with a triple off Ross Stripling that went to the right-field corner. In the seventh he came out with the bases loaded and two outs before Jordan Romano struck out with a fastball to end the game. In the first meeting he went 3-0 with an intentional walk.
Guerrero, who has 35 homers, gave Toronto a 1-0 lead in the first inning of the second game with an RBI single and then scored on a single by Teoscar Hernández. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. added a two-run single with the bases loaded in the sixth. Guerrero went 4-0 in the first game of the night.
Trevor Richards (1-1) won the second game by two scoreless innings. Los Angeles starter Jose Suarez (5-5) took the loss after allowing four runs and seven hits, walking one walk and five strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings.
In the first meeting, Guerrero made a serious fielding error. He misjudged a Jo Adell balloon in the fifth act.
The ball hit the glove of the Dominican behind the initial. They entered two runs to stretch Los Angeles’ lead to 4-1.
Venezuelan Junior Guerra (3-2) took the victory by resolving the sixth inning blank. Cuban Raisel Iglesias retired all three of his opponents in the seventh to reach 25 saves.
The loss went to Steven Matz (9-7).
For the Angels, Cuban José Iglesias 2-1 with two runs scored. Juan Lagares 2-1 with a run scored.
For the Blue Jays, the Dominicans Guerrero 4-0, Teoscar Hernández 3-2 with one scored and one produced. Venezuelan Breyvic Valera 3-2.
For the Blue Jays, Guerrero 4-1 with one run scored and one RBI; Teoscar Hernández 4-2 with a run scored and an RBI; Santiago Espinal from 3-1. Mexican Alejandro Kirk 2-1. Cuban Lourdes Gurriel 3-1 with two RBIs.
For the Angels, Cuban José Iglesias 3-0. The Dominican Juan Lagares 3-0.
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