LDN - Sports

Martin powers Blue Jays to win over Angels

[September 16, 2016] ANAHEIM, Calif. -- With the Toronto Blue Jays needing a victory, Russell Martin took it upon himself to deliver.

Martin hit a three-run home run and drove in four runs to lead the Blue Jays to a 7-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday night at Angel Stadium.

The victory enabled Toronto (80-66) to move into a tie for the top American League wild-card spot with the Baltimore Orioles (80-66) and remain two games behind the Boston Red Sox (82-64) in the AL East.

In the wild-card race, the Blue Jays and Orioles hold a two-game lead over the Detroit Tigers and the Seattle Mariners, both 78-68.

Martin hit a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning before going deep in the sixth.

"I just really got into some good fastball counts, and I didn't miss my pitch," he said. "That's the key. It happens so many times where you get a good pitch and foul it off, and that was your opportunity."

Josh Donaldson returned to the Blue Jays' starting lineup as the designated hitter after missing the past three games because of a jammed right hip. The 2015 American League Most Valuable Player went 3-for-3, hit two doubles, walked twice and scored twice.

"I didn't know what to expect, to be honest with you," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said, "but he looked great. He was running well, turning those balls into doubles. He sparked us out there. He's a key guy for this team. Everybody knows that."

Blue Jays left-hander J.A. Happ earned his 13th victory in his past 14 decisions. Happ (19-4) conceded two runs (one earned) and just three hits in six-plus innings. He walked three and struck out three.

"He was just on," Martin said. "He was aggressive. The key was getting strike one early and then just hitting spots. He really was not making many mistakes toward the middle of the plate, just working on the edges and mixing the four-seamer with the two-seamer."

For the Angels, Andrelton Simmons hit his third home run in his past two games and extended his hitting streak to nine games in his return to the lineup after missing three games due to a bruised right hand. However, Los Angeles sustained its fourth consecutive loss and its eighth in nine games.

Rookie Daniel Wright received his first major league loss in his fourth career start. In five-plus innings, Wright (0-1) allowed three runs on four hits and three walks while collecting three strikeouts.

"Daniel definitely took a step forward from his last start," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "His fastball usage was really good. He had it in good zones, and it helped him set up some of his off-speed stuff. But he got a little tired. He hasn't been stretched out to where he's going to have to fight through the sixth inning."

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Blue Jays catcher Russell Martin (55) and relief pitcher Roberto Osuna (54) celebrate the 7-2 victory against Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Toronto held a 2-0 lead in the sixth inning before Martin extended it to 5-0. Donaldson began the inning by drawing a walk from Wright, who left in favor of right-hander Jose Valdez.

After Edwin Encarnacion struck out, Jose Bautista followed with another walk. Then on a 3-1 count, Martin propelled Valdez's 95 mph fastball into the concrete walkway between the bullpens and the left field stands for a three-run drive that represented his 19th homer of the season.

Los Angeles narrowed the deficit to 5-2 in the seventh when Simmons hit his third home run in two games. After Jefry Marte reached base on an error, Simmons hit Happ's 94 mph fastball into the Angels' left field bullpen for his fourth homer this year.

The hosts then brought the potential tying run to the plate in the eighth after Albert Pujols and C.J. Cron hit successive singles with one out. However, reliever Jason Grilli got a flyout from Marte and a groundout from Simmons.

The Blue Jays padded the lead in the ninth on Devon Travis' two-run single. Travis used the hit to extend his hitting streak to 12 games, a career high.

The Blue Jays took a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning against Wright.

Donaldson lined a double to left center field, breaking an 0-for-23 slump. He moved to third when Encarnacion lined a single to left field and scored on Bautista's low line-drive single to right. Encarnacion took third on Bautista's hit and scored on Martin's sacrifice fly.

NOTES: Blue Jays OF Melvin Upton Jr. needs one stolen base for 300 in his career. ... Angels RHP Garrett Richards said he expects to throw off a mound Saturday. Richards is undergoing stem-cell therapy to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament. ... Toronto RHP R.A. Dickey (9-14, 4.60 ERA) faces Los Angeles RHP Jered Weaver (11-11, 5.25 ERA) in the second game of the series Friday.

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