Mike McCoy scored from third base on a grounder by Adam Lind with one out in the 10th inning, as the Los Angeles Angels dropped the opener in Toronto, 3-2 to the Blue Jays Monday night at Rogers Centre. All three Blue Jays runs scored were unearned.
McCoy reached first base on an error by Erick Aybar, then advanced to second base on a single by Eric Thames. Both runners advanced on a groundout by Jose Bautista, before Lind ended the game. Scott Downs (6-3) took the defeat.
The Angels' elimination number for the American League West is five, meaning any combination of Angels losses and wins by the Texas Rangers adding to five will eliminate the Angels from the division. The Halos' elimination number for the wild card is six, trailing the Boston Red Sox.
Torii Hunter homered in the top of the second inning to give the Angels a 1-0 lead, then three innings later Mark Trumbo tied the game at 2-2 with a home run to center field off Ricky Romero. Those were the only two runs Romero allowed in nine innings.
Jerome Williams walked a tightrope in his outing, allowing just two unearned runs while pitching into the seventh inning. He benefited from a caught stealing, a nifty 3-2-3 double play, and Hunter nailing Eric Thames trying to get two bases on a fielding error by Trumbo that allowed him to reach base. The Blue Jays scored their two runs off Williams in the fourth inning, when J.P Arencibia singled to short right field to drive home Kelly Johnson and Brett Lawrie.
Joel Pineiro gets the start on Tuesday night for the Angels, facing Brett Cecil for Toronto.
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