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Escobar helps Blue Jays overcome Angels

Jun 30, 2012 - 6:47 AM Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - Yunel Escobar's RBI double in the seventh inning put the Blue Jays on top for good as Toronto defeated the Angels, 7-5, in the second test of a four-game series.

Adam Lind added two home runs and knocked in four runs for Toronto, which snapped a three-game slide.

"It was definitely a relief to hit a home run and help the team win," said Lind, who was promoted from Triple-A Las Vegas last Monday after spending more than a month in the minors.

Francisco Cordero (3-4) recorded the final two outs of the seventh inning to capture the win, while Casey Janssen shut the door in the ninth to earn his ninth save of the year.

Jordan Walden (2-2) allowed the deciding run to take the loss for the Angels, who saw their four-game win streak come to an end.

Torii Hunter collected three hits, an RBI and a run scored in a losing effort.

Neither starter was very effective as Carlos Villanueva, who made his first start of the season, allowed three runs on seven hits and a walk over five innings for Toronto, and Ervin Santana gave up five runs on seven hits and three walks over five-plus innings for the Angels.

"He got through the first couple of innings

The Blue Jays entered the bottom of the seventh with the score tied at 5-5 after the Angels rallied from a two-run deficit in the top of the frame, but were quickly able to regain their lead.

Walden was able to record two quick outs before allowing a single to Edwin Encarnacion, who promptly stole second. Following a Kelly Johnson walk, Escobar slapped a ground-rule double to right field that landed just inside the foul line, allowing Encarnacion to cross the plate.

Rajai Davis lined out to right to strand runners at second and third, but Toronto was still able to add an insurance run in the eighth on Lind's leadoff blast to left field off Hisanori Takahashi.

Janssen then struck out two in a perfect ninth inning to close out the game.

After the Angels squandered a leadoff double by Kendrys Morales in the second inning, they were able to break through in the third when John Hester walked, advanced to third on a Mike Trout single and came home on Hunter's base hit to right field.

Trout would move to third on the play, but back-to-back strikeouts by Albert Pujols and Morales ended the inning and kept it a 1-0 game.

Mark Trumbo then led off the fourth with a single and later scored on Erick Aybar's sacrifice fly to deep center field to give the Angels a two-run advantage.

But Toronto answered in the home fourth when Jose Bautista led off with a double and came home on Encarnacion's single to center as Bautista just beat the throw to the plate.

Encarnacion advanced to second on the throw home and crossed the plate two batters later on Escobar's base hit to left field. Davis followed with a double before Lind hammered a ball over the right-center field wall to give the Blue Jays a 5-2 lead.

"Ervin got through the first couple of innings and in the fourth just missed with some spots." Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.

Hunter hit a two-out single in the fifth inning and rounded the bases on Pujols' double down the third-base line to bring the Angels within two.

Toronto would fail to add to its lead by having Encarnacion thrown out at home to end the home fifth and seeing a rally dwindle in the sixth before the Angels knotted the game in the seventh with Hester's two-run blast to left field.

Aybar singled prior to Hester's third home run of the year.

Game Notes

The Angels fell to 14-2 over their last 16 road games...The season series between the teams is tied at 3-3...Toronto hit 4-for-11 with runners in scoring position and left eight men on base...The Angels went 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position and stranded five.