Riders prepare for Redblacks after first win in months
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For the first time since July, the Riders can build off a win on Saturday.
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit his major league-leading 38th home run this season, but the Toronto Blue Jays hit it out of the park four times, including two from George Springer and a grand slam by Teoscar Hernandez, to defeat the Los Angeles Angels 10-2 Wednesday night.
Lourdes Gurriel also homered for Toronto, which has won 12 of its last 14 games and is second in the majors with 172 home runs. Rookie Alek Manoah (5-1) struck out 11 and won for the fourth time in his last five starts.
Springer extended Toronto’s lead to 2-0 in the third inning with a solo shot to left-center off Dylan Bundy (2-9). He connected again in the ninth for the 17th multihomer game of his career and third this season.
On a night when fans entering Angel Stadium got shirts adorned with Ohtani’s face, the Japanese two-way sensation hit a two-run drive to center field to tie it at 2 in the third inning. The Blue Jays responded with a five-run fifth to break it open.
Gurriel, who led off the third inning with a solo shot to left, lined a double off the left-field wall to start the fifth and chase Bundy. Gurriel scored the tiebreaking run on Santiago Espinal’s hit.
After Springer and Marcus Semien drew walks, Hernandez sent an 0-1 hanging slider from Sam Selman beyond the left-field bullpens and into the stands for his first career grand slam.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who fouled out to the catcher in the previous at-bat, greeted Hernandez with the team’s signature home run jacket near the dugout.
Gurriel finished with three hits, including an RBI single in the eighth.
Bundy gave up three runs on four hits in four-plus innings with four strikeouts.
STREAK SNAPPED
Manoah was the first pitcher in MLB history to give up four hits or fewer in his first 10 starts, but the Angels got five off the rookie right-hander in 6 2/3 innings. His 71 strikeouts are the most by a Blue Jays pitcher in his first 11 games.
OHTANI’S DROUGHT ENDS
Ohtani’s home run was his first since July 28 against Colorado and snapped a 13-game home run drought, which was his longest of the season. It was the first time this season he had gone more than eight games between homers.
WELCOME TO THE CLUB
Hernandez is the 84th different player in Blue Jays history to hit a grand slam. It was their fourth of the season.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Blue Jays: RHP Ross Stripling has been placed on the 10-day injured list after suffering a left oblique strain during the nightcap of Tuesday’s doubleheader. … RHP Trent Thornton was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo. … RHP Connor Overton has been selected to the major league roster after RHP Patrick Murphy was designated for assignment.
Angels: All-Star INF Jared Walsh was activated off the injured list after missing 15 games due to a right intercostal (chest) strain. … LHP Packy Naughton was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake to make way for Walsh.
UP NEXT
RHP Ohtani (6-1, 2.93 ERA) takes the hill in the third matchup between the top two home run hitters in the league. Guerrero Jr. has 35 but has not hit it out of Angel Stadium yet. RHP José Berríos (8-5, 3.23 ERA) is 1-1 against the Angels this season. The prior two matchups were when he was with the Minnesota Twins.
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Joe Reedy, The Associated Press