Blue Jays bounce back with shutout win over Angels to split doubleheader

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit an early RBI single and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Los Angeles Angels 4-0 on Tuesday night to split an unusual doubleheader.

Toronto batted last and was the "home" team at Angel Stadium in the first game, a makeup from an April 11 rainout at the Blue Jays' temporary home field early this season in Dunedin, Florida. In the regularly scheduled nightcap, the Angels were the home team.

The four-game series features the top two home run hitters in the majors, but Tuesday's twin bill didn't produce any long balls from Shohei Ohtani or Guerrero.

"It was an ever better win just because of the way it ended. No one wanted Ohtani to come up with the bases loaded, but that tells you the type of pitcher Romano is," Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said. "He went right after him and did a great job against one of the best hitters in baseball."

Guerrero, who has 35 home runs, gave Toronto a 1-0 lead in the first with an RBI single and then scored on Teoscar Hernandez's bloop single. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. added a two-run single with the bases loaded in the sixth.

Guerrero had a huge fielding miscue in the first game when he misplayed Jo Adell's pop up in the fifth inning. He was unable to track the ball behind first base and let it glance off his glove as two runs scored to extend Los Angeles' lead to 4-1.

Stripling was removed after the second inning of the nightcap due to left abdominal discomfort. Trevor Richards (1-1) worked two scoreless innings.

Los Angeles starter Jose Suarez (5-5) yielded four runs and seven hits with a walk and two strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings.

Upton, Gosselin drive in 2 each as Angels down Blue Jays in series opener

Justin Upton and Phil Gosselin each had two hits and drove in two runs, and the Los Angeles Angels defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 6-3 on Tuesday in the first game of an unusual doubleheader.

The opener of a four-game series featuring the top two home run hitters in the majors didn't produce any long balls from Shohei Ohtani or Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Ohtani, who leads the majors with 37 homers, was 0 for 3 with an intentional walk. Guerrero, who has 35 home runs, was hitless in four at-bats.

Toronto batted last and was the "home" team at Angel Stadium in the first game, a makeup from an April 11 rainout at the Blue Jays' temporary home field early this season in Dunedin, Florida. In the regularly scheduled nightcap, the Angels were the home team.

Guerrero had a huge fielding miscue when he misplayed Jo Adell's popup in the fifth inning. He was unable to track the ball behind first base and let it glance off his glove as two runs scored to extend Los Angeles' lead to 4-1.

Upton put the Angels on the board with a two-run single in the third. After the Blue Jays got within 4-3 in the fifth, Gosselin provided some insurance with a two-run single in the sixth.

Los Angeles right-hander Chris Rodriguez allowed only one run over four innings in his first career start at Angel Stadium. He pitched out a bases-loaded jam in the fourth when he got George Springer to ground into an inning-ending double play.

"You know, that's where being a reliever kind of helped me a lot. I wanted a ground ball and I got a ground ball," said Rodriguez, who gave up six hits with two walks and two strikeouts.

Marcus Semien had three hits, including an RBI double in the third to bring the Blue Jays within 2-1.

Steven Matz (9-7) went 4 1/3 innings for Toronto. He was charged with four runs [two earned] and six hits. The left-hander struck out five and walked three.

"I don't necessarily take away that it was a bad outing, Those guys battled and they hit some singles through the infield," Matz said.

Toronto closed to 4-3 in the fifth when Semien scored on Teoscar Hernandez's single. Corey Dickerson followed with an RBI triple to left-centre.