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Weaver strong as Angels down Blue Jays

Jul 5, 2008 - 5:48 AM ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- It isn't easy to take a loss the way Jered Weaver did in his last time out. However, it isn't very difficult to win when a pitcher gets the kind of run support the righthander did on Friday.

Weaver tossed 7 1/3 strong innings and Howie Kendrick drove in three runs, sending the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim to an easy 8-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays.

Weaver (8-8) and reliever Jose Arredondo held the Los Angeles Dodgers hitless last Saturday but his offense could not provide its pitchers any run support, sending the Angels to a 1-0 defeat. It was only the fifth setback since 1900 in which a team held its opponent hitless but still lost the game.

In this contest, Weaver allowed two runs and six hits with a walk and six strikeouts, throwing 73 of his 106 pitches for strikes. After their disappointing outing last Saturday in support of Weaver, the Angels provided him with a season-high run total.

"I just wanted to take what I did in my last start into this one," Weaver said. "I felt good out there again tonight. I know if I go out and pitch my game, the guys will put numbers on the board. It's definitely good to get some runs to work with."

Weaver had allowed just four hits going into the eighth before Joe Inglett followed a one-out leadoff double by Marco Scutaro with a triple under the glove of a diving Gary Matthews Jr. in right field, accounting for the Blue Jays' only runs of the contest.

"Jered gave us a chance to win the game tonight and he went out and threw a great game," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.

On Friday, the Angels quickly jumped out on Toronto starter A.J. Burnett (8-8), getting a solo homer from Torii Hunter to stake Weaver to an early 1-0 lead. Three batters later, Kendrick added an RBI double to double the advantage at 2-0.

In the sixth, Gary Matthews Jr. keyed a three-run frame with a run-scoring double before Kendrick plated two more runs with a grounder that just eluded Inglett at second base.

"I was just trying to hit the ball in the air to get a run home," Kendrick said. "(I) just got a good pitch to hit and I put a good swing on it."

Anaheim completed Burnett's miserable night in the seventh when Maicer Izturis singled home another run before Garret Anderson belted a two-run homer off Burnett for an 8-0 advantage.

"G.A. (Anderson) is starting to get into a good groove and put together quality at-bats," Scioscia said. "He's a guy that can do damage when he gets it going."

The Blue Jays righthander surrendered eight runs - six earned - and 12 hits over seven frames, striking out just three to take his first loss in three starts.

"My stuff felt good, I just didn't have total command of my pitches," Burnett said. "They have a good lineup that makes it tough on anyone to face."