TORONTO – A throwing error that travelled down the first-base line from Los Angeles Angels reliever Sam Bachman on an Ernie Clement bunt gave the Toronto Blue Jays a 4-3 walk-off win on Friday.
With runners on first and second and none out, Clement bunted to the third-base side of the mound in the 10th inning scoring Myles Straw.
Bachman threw high and the Blue Jays had their season-high sixth win in a row before 30,119 at Rogers Centre.
Bachman (1-2) took the loss, while Chad Green (3-0) pitched the top of the 10th and registered the win.
The Blue Jays sent seven players to the plate in a three-run sixth. Will Wagner scored on Andres Gimenez’s single to left and the latter scored on Bo Bichette’s single to left.
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George Springer scored on Zach Neto’s error.
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Toronto starter Eric Lauer lost his magic in the seventh when Mike Trout and Taylor Ward singled to end his evening.
Reliever Nick Sandlin was greeted with a 431-foot homer from Jo Adell to left centre for his 19th.
In Lauer’s six-plus innings, he was on the hook for two runs on three hits and a walk with six strikeouts.
Lauer and his Los Angeles counterpart Kyle Hendricks were engaged in a pitchers’ duel through five innings.
Springer, who remained hot with a 2-for-4 game, broke through for Toronto’s first hit, a one-out line-drive single to left field in the fourth inning.
Adell led off the fifth inning for the Angels with a double into the left-field corner.
Hendricks departed after 5 1/3 innings, giving up three runs on four hits, no walks and two strikeouts.
TAKEAWAYS
Angels: The Angels have pushed themselves into contention for a wild-card position. They began the day only 1 1/2 games behind the Seattle Mariners for the third and final American League spot.
Blue Jays: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had the night off to rest and recover after fouling a pitch off his right foot in the sixth inning on Thursday.
KEY MOMENT
An error from Angels shortstop Neto on an Addison Barger bouncer up the middle went from a possible double play to another run and a 3-0 Toronto lead.
KEY STAT
Springer has batted 22-for-43 (. 512) with four homers, 19 RBIs, 15 runs scored, six walks and three stolen bases in his last 12 games.
UP NEXT
Toronto’s Max Scherzer (0-0) faces Jack Kochanowicz (3-8) in Saturday’s middle game of the three-game series against the Angels.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 4, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
