Blue Jays blank Angels

[September 17, 2016]  ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Troy Tulowitzki and Edwin Encarnacion homered and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Los Angeles Angels 5-0 on Friday night before 42,159 at Angel Stadium.

The win kept the Blue Jays (81-66) tied with the Baltimore Orioles for the top wild-card spot and two games back of the American League East-leading Boston Red Sox.

The Angels (63-84), last in the AL West, have lost five straight and nine of their last 10 games.

Knuckleballer R.A. Dickey pitched five-plus scoreless innings with seven strikeouts and a walk. Dickey (10-14) has won five consecutive starts against the Angels.

Relievers Joe Biagini, Joaquin Benoit and Jason Grilli combined to pitch 2 2/3 shutout innings before Roberto Osuna got the final four outs for his 33rd save of the season.

Encarnacion hit a two-run blast, his 40th home run this year, that highlighted a three-run ninth and included a Josh Donaldson sacrfice fly.

Los Angeles starter Jered Weaver (11-12) allowed two runs and scattered seven hits with four strikeouts and three walks in six innings. Weaver (11-12) was bidding to join Chuck Finley as the franchise's only pitchers to win 150 games.

Angels slugger Albert Pujols doubled off Dickey in the first for his 600th career two-bagger. Pujols became the 16th major league player to accomplish the feat and joined Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds as the only players with at least 575 home runs and 600 doubles. Pujols also pulled within a double of tying Bonds for 15th place.

The Angels loaded the bases in the sixth but couldn't push home a run. Dickey served off back-to-back base hits to C.J. Cron and Jefry Marte before being relieved by Biagini. After Biagini issued a walk to Andrelton Simmons to load the bases, the right-hander struck out Nick Buss, forced pinch-hitter Yunel Escobar to ground into a fielder's choice and induced Kaleb Cowart to line out to center to escape the jam.

Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson (20) hits a sacrifice fly to score a run in the ninth inning of the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

After Jose Bautista walked to lead off the fourth, Tulowitzki ripped a two-run homer off Weaver into the seats in left for a 2-0 Toronto edge. It was Tulowitzki's 24th homer this season.

NOTES: A win by Toronto would end a four-series losing streak this month. The Blue Jays, who are 5-9 in September, dropped series to the Rays (twice), the Yankees and Red Sox before meeting the Angels. The Blue Jays hadn't lost four series in a row since June 30-July 12, 2015, when they fell to the Red Sox, Tigers, White Sox and Royals. ... Angels GM Billy Eppler celebrated his 41st birthday. ... On this date 10 years ago, Chone Figgins became the fifth Angel to hit for the cycle in a game against the Texas Rangers. ... Blue Jays LHP Francisco Liriano (7-12, 5.16 ERA) will face Angels RHP Ricky Nolasco (5-14, 4.94) in the third game of the series on Saturday.

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