Blue Jays 5 - 6 Angels
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Palmer fills in for Kazmir against Jays

Apr 9, 2011 - 2:33 PM (Sports Network) - Matt Palmer makes an emergency start for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim tonight when they continue their three-game set against the Toronto Blue Jays at Angel Stadium.

Palmer was recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake after scheduled starter Scott Kazmir was placed on the disabled list with lower back stiffness. Kazmir was unable to get out of the second inning in his 2011 debut in Kansas City on Sunday, as the Royals reached him for five runs and five hits in just 1 2/3 innings.

The awful start to the season comes on the heels of a spring that saw Kazmir surrender a total of 19 runs (16 earned) in 21 2/3 exhibition innings, while posting an awful 10-to-13 strikeouts-to-walks ratio.

"I was working on some things with my delivery, with my leg kick, and that's when I felt it in my lower back, on the right side," Kazmir said. "That wasn't me in my last start."

Palmer was 11-2 with a 3.93 ERA in 2009 but missed most of last season with a shoulder problem and then had offseason knee surgery.

Toronto, meanwhile, will hand the ball to lefty Brett Cecil, who lost his debut on Sunday against Minnesota. Cecil allowed three runs and six hits in five innings of that one, while striking out three and walking a pair.

Cecil has split his two starts against the Angels and has pitched to a 4.85 ERA in doing so.

The Jays captured the opener of this set on Friday, as Jayson Nix's eighth- inning homer provided the decisive run, helping Toronto to a 3-2 win. Adam Lind added a two-run double for the Blue Jays, who have won series against Minnesota and Oakland to open the season.

"I had a favorable count and got a heater over the middle and got the barrel on it," Nix said.

Ervin Santana (0-1) struck out seven in eight innings, but took the loss after allowing all three runs, six hits and a walk. Torii Hunter went 2-for-4 with an RBI for Los Angeles, which had won its last two.

Toronto starter Kyle Drabek pitched six innings and allowed two runs -- both of which he gave up early in the game. Octavio Dotel (1-0) pitched a scoreless seventh to get the win.

Anaheim won six of nine matchups from Toronto a year ago, though the clubs did split six games held at Angel Stadium.






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