Toronto, ON – Brett Lawrie smacked a three-run homer and the Toronto Blue Jays routed the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, 11-2, in the third of a four-game series.
Henderson Alvarez (5-6), who threw his only career shutout against the Angels on May 4, gave up one run in seven innings en route to the win. He allowed seven hits, struck out three and did not issue a walk.
Alvarez won for the second straight outing after seven unsuccessful tries. He also allowed fewer than three runs for the first time since May 10.
"He did an outstanding job and really what we needed," said Toronto manager John Farrell of Alvarez. "It's been a while since our starters went deep in a game."
Yunel Escobar homered during a seven-run second inning for the Jays, who have won their last two after losing three in a row.
Colby Rasmus, Jose Bautista and Kelly Johnson all knocked in a run for Toronto.
Garrett Richards (2-1) had thrown a quality start in all four of his 2012 outings coming into to Saturday, but the 24-year-old right-hander struggled with poor command and poor fielding behind him. He allowed 10 runs -- five earned -- on nine hits and four walks in 4 1/3 innings.
Lawrie got the Blue Jays started in the first inning. He led off with a double to right field, then came around to score when Bautista grounded into a double play.
The Jays then exploded for seven runs in the second with the aid of some shaky fielding.
After Johnson hustled out a double to start the inning, Escobar blasted his fifth home run of the season. J.P. Arencibia kept the inning alive with a two- out single before the flood gates opened.
Peter Bourjos dropped a line drive off the bat of Lawrie, scoring Arencibia. Rasmus doubled and Bautista singled to drive in two more. On Edwin Encarnacion's single to left-center, Bautista advanced to third and then scored after Mike Trout's throw found the Angels dugout. Johnson capped the scoring when his bloop hit took a high hop on the turf, going over Trout's head and leading to a run-scoring triple.
"Some things went on behind me but that's out of my control," said Richards. "I just tried to put up zeros and kind of stop the bleeding."
Maicer Izturis got a run back in the third when he knocked in Bobby Wilson with a double, but the Jays piled on three more runs on Lawrie's fifth-inning blast to make it 11-1.
Luis Perez pitched a scoreless eighth and David Pauley gave up a two-out run in the ninth before finishing off the Angels, who have lost two straight on the road after winning 14 of their previous 15.
Game Notes
Toronto finished the month 13-14 and has not had a winning June since 2007...The Blue Jays are 21-16 at the Rogers Centre and have won five of their last six home games...Toronto is second in the majors with 102 home runs...Bautista finished June with 14 home runs, a club record for most in a single month...In his career against the Angels, Alvarez is 2-0 with a 1.57 earned run average (four earned runs in 23 innings)...The Blue Jays went 4- for-10 with runners in scoring position while the Angels went 1-for-8.
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