• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Escobar dominates Blue Jays as Angels prepare for Mariners

Aug 26, 2007 - 11:55 PM ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- Kelvim Escobar dominated the Toronto Blue Jays and gave the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim a boost heading into a crucial American League West showdown.

Escobar threw eight stellar innings and Garret Anderson homered as the Angels posted a 3-1 victory over the Blue Jays on Sunday.

Maicer Izturis singled in a run in the fourth for Anaheim, which increased its lead to 1 1/2 games over the Seattle Mariners (73-54), whom they visit for a three-game series starting on Monday. Seattle plays Texas later Sunday.

However, Angels manager Mike Scioscia downplayed the significance of the upcoming series.

"It doesn't matter who we play, because we have to just stay focused on getting on the baseball field and playing our game," Scioscia said. "The next series isn't going to make or break our season."

A former Blue Jay, Escobar (15-6) picked up his fourth straight win with a masterful performance, allowing one run and six hits with five strikeouts and no walks in eight innings. The righthander retired the first 12 hitters he faced before allowing a leadoff single to Vernon Wells in the fifth.

"I didn't feel like I had good stuff early but I picked it up later in the game," Escobar said. "Fifteen wins is good, because I feel like I deserve it with the way I have pitched this year, and 20 wins has always been a dream of mine."

Anderson gave Escobar the lead when he blasted a leadoff homer - the 250th of his career - in the second inning off Toronto starter Dustin McGowan (8-8). Anderson also hit a one-out double to right in the fourth and scored on single by Izturis as the Angles improved their major league-best home record to 44-20.

"This was an important game for us before leaving home and good to pull out the win," Anderson said. "We just have too much baseball left so there is no need to worry about who we are playing. It's not like it's the last weekend of the season."

With Anaheim holding a 2-0 lead, Escobar ran into little resistance through the first four innings. However, the Blue Jays finally got on the board in the fifth, helped by an error on center fielder Gary Matthews Jr.

"Errors happen and Gary has helped me get out of innings this whole year with his glove," Escobar said. "I made some big pitches and got out of the inning with the lead."

Wells got Toronto's first hit of the game and stole second. The speedy Wells was tagging on a fly ball to center by Frank Thomas when Matthews took his eye off the ball and dropped it. Troy Glaus followed with a sacrifice fly to right, cutting the lead to 2-1, and Aaron Hill singled to put runners on the corners.

However, Escobar worked out of the jam and also got out of a one-out, first-and-second bind in the seventh.

While the Blue Jays couldn't muster a clutch hit, the Angeles manufactured an insurance run in the seventh. Matthews led off with a single, moved to second on a wild pitch, stole third and scored when catcher Gregg Zaun's throw sailed into left field.

Francisco Rodriguez followed Escobar by working a scoreless ninth for his 33rd save in 37 chances.

McGowan, who also took the loss when he faced Escobar on August 16, allowed two runs in six hits in seven innings. He had six strikeouts and did not allow a walk but remained winless in his last five starts.

"It was one of those games where runs were going to be hard to get," McGowan said. "It was good to come here and split the series and compete every game. They have a good club here and for us to take two games and the season series is good for us."

Toronto, which has lost five of seven, went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position.

"They arguably have the best pitching staff in baseball and it showed today," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "He (Escobar) was tough and is always tough to beat."