Wilson Labors, Angels Drop Series Finale to Blue Jays

May 12, 2014; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Steve Tolleson throws to first base as Los Angeles Angels third baseman Luis Jimenez slides in to break up a fifth inning double play attempt at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

After mowing through Toronto’s starting rotation over the weekend, the Angels hit a wall against Mark Buehrle Monday night. The left-hander became the first seven-game winner in the majors, helping the Blue Jays avoid a four-game sweep in a 7-3 victory.

In his worst outing since an Opening Week loss to Seattle, C.J. Wilson allowed five runs through six innings and drops to 4-3 through eight starts. Wilson, who is winless in back-to-back outings for the first time this season, served up home runs to Jose Bautista and Brett Lawrie; the first allowed since yielding two in Detroit on April 19.

Bautista hit his team-leading 10^th homer before Wilson ever recorded an out. Steve Tolleson led off the first with a single and Melky Cabrera followed with a walk, setting the table for the perennial All-Star. Bautista launched Wilson’s ill-placed changeup into the left-center field seats, giving Toronto an early 3-0 lead.

The Angels bounced back in the top of the second on Mike Trout’s 10^th double this season. Trout’s shot to dead center cleared Colby Rasmus’ head, scoring Collin Cowgill and Grant Green. It was the struggling center fielder’s third hit of the series and one of the few highlight in a 3-for-18 stretch.

Buehrle-who entered the game with an AL-leading 1.91 ERA-settled down and scattered three hits from that point forward. He and the Toronto bullpen limited the Angels to a .143 battering average with runners in scoring position.

C.J. Cron hit a solo homer for the second consecutive game, raising his batting average to .393 since his May 3 call-up. The 24-year-old rookie was 3-for-9 with three runs and three RBIs over the four-game set.

The loss is the first at Rogers Center since June 30, 2012 and snaps a six-game winning streak against Toronto, dating back to August 4 of last year.