Ernie Clement keyed a five-run second inning with a two-run home run and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the visiting Los Angeles Angels 5-3 on Thursday night.
Clement homered in his third consecutive game and the Blue Jays homered in their 11th consecutive game as they took the opener of a four-game series. Toronto, which is 2-2 during a seven-game homestand, swept a three-game series with the Angels last week in Anaheim.
Niko Kavadas hit a three-run homer for his first major league hit in the ninth and Jo Adell added three hits for the Angels, who are 1-3 to begin their 10-game road trip.
Both teams used an opener. Angels left-hander Brock Burke (1-1) allowed three runs and three hits in one-plus inning. Toronto right-hander Ryan Burr allowed two hits and a walk in one-plus inning.
Toronto left-hander Ryan Yarbrough (5-2) tossed five scoreless innings, allowing three hits and striking out four to earn the win.
Toronto took a 5-0 lead in the second. Spencer Horwitz and Alejandro Kirk opened with doubles before Will Wagner singled home Kirk. Mike Baumann replaced Burke and yielded Clement’s 10th homer of the season, a drive to left on a high 97-mph fastball. Joey Loperfido tripled and scored on George Springer’s groundout.
Angels right-hander Griffin Canning pitched four perfect innings before allowing Loperfido’s leadoff single in the seventh. Canning’s only other baserunner allowed over six innings came on Kirk’s two-out double in the eighth.
Toronto’s Tommy Nance struck out the side in the eighth but allowed a two-out, three-run homer to Kavada in the ninth. It followed Adell’s double and Matt Thaiss’ walk.
The Blue Jays’ Daulton Varsho doubled in the second to extend his on-base streak to 20 games.
The Angels’ Mickey Moniak was hit by on the left elbow by a pitch in the fourth. He stayed in but was replaced in the bottom of the inning by former Blue Jay Kevin Pillar.
