Mark Trumbo Leads the Charge as Angels Down Blue Jays 12-6

The Los Angeles Angels began a three-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays north of the border tonight after a one-game stop in Minnesota for a make-up game with the Twins. Could the Angels stop their 2-game skid against the struggling Blue Jays and re-find the magic of their last road trip when they went 8-1?

Sep 10, 2013; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Los Angeles Angels first baseman Mark Trumbo (44) hits a solo home run in the fifth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

For a night the answer is a resounding yes. The offense for the Angels showed up and showed up big, smacking four home runs and driving in 12 runs to take a “w” in the first game of the three-game set.

Leading the charge was Mark Trumbo who went 5 for 5 with 2 RBIs and four extra base-hits including his 32nd home run of the year for possibly the best offensive game of his career. The big night was much needed for Trumbo who was coming off an ugly August where he posted a dismal .650 OPS with 38 strikeouts. The man hitting behind him Josh Hamilton didn’t have too shabby of an evening himself knocking in for RBI including his 20th home run of the season. Erick Aybar and Chris Iannetta also went deep while Kole Calhoun had two RBI himself.

The Angels needed to bring their bats tonight because starter Jerome Williams was not sharp tonight. Williams lasted just five innings where he gave up 6 runs on 9 hits including a grand slam off the bat of Anthony Gose. Fortunately, the bullpen was solid and didn’t allow a single base runner in four innings of work as the Angels offense tacked on runs in the sixth and the eighth inning to solidify the lead.

The Los Angeles are now 6 and 4 in September. They haven’t had a winning month since June when they went 16 and 14. Tomorrow it’s the battle of the abbreviated first-names when C.J. Wilson goes for his 16th win against R.A. Dickey at 4:07 PST.