Angels drop fifth straight game, including all four in Toronto

TORONTO – Walking Vladimir Guerrero Jr. didn’t work. Pitching to him didn’t work either.

And to top it off, the Angels hitters once again barely managed to do anything.

It added up to an 8-2 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday, the Angels’ fifth straight loss and 13th in the last 16 games.

Three of the Blue Jays’ runs came immediately after intentional walks to Guerrero, as Alejandro Kirk drew a bases-loaded walk and hit a two-run homer. Guerrero had a pair of RBI hits when the Angels did pitch to him, including a fifth-inning double that snapped a tie.

The Angels (54-77) have been in an offensive slumber for two weeks, and they were particularly ineffective at the plate during the four-game series in Toronto.

The Angels scored 10 runs in the series, and seven of them came in two innings. Niko Kavadas hit a three-run homer when they were down by five in the ninth inning on Thursday, and they scored four runs in the second inning on Friday.

Since then, they scored three runs in the last 25 innings. The Angels hit .157 in the four-game series.

“We’re just trying to trying to grind it out, trying to get out of this slump that we’re in,” Zach Neto said. “Trying to keep putting our foot on the pedal and trying to get over the hump.”

Taylor Ward, whose homer was the Angels’ only hit on Saturday, tripled and scored on a Neto single in the fourth. Brandon Drury hit a homer in the eighth.

That was it for the Angels, who have now hit .198 with a .602 OPS over the last 16 games.

“I think they’re starting to feel what it takes to drive through a full season,” manager Ron Washington said. “I think they’re starting to feel it, and they have to go through it to understand how to get through it. They’re doing all the work it takes. They’re doing all the studying it takes. But once the game starts, you have to go out there and apply it. And we are having trouble applying it. I just keep wishing that at some point our veterans would step up and fill in the gaps.”

The lack of production at the plate – and ineffective work from the relievers – spoiled a series in which the rotation performed well. Including Griffin Canning, who came in after an opener and another reliever, the pitchers in the Angels rotation gave up seven earned runs in 23 innings, a 2.74 ERA.

Starter Tyler Anderson gave up two runs in five innings. In the third inning, he walked Kirk after the Angels opted to put Guerrero at first.

In the fifth, Guerrero came up with a runner at first, so Anderson pitched to him. He doubled off the fence in left, driving in another run.

“He’s super locked in right now,” Anderson said. “Maybe went to the well too many times right there. You make a good pitch, down and away, a really well located pitch, with your best pitch, and he does a good job, hits it off the wall to left. Trust your best pitch in that situation. Tip your cap right there.”

After Guerrero gave them a 2-1 lead, the Blue Jays put the game away with a pair of two-run homers, from No. 9 hitter Addison Barger against Hunter Strickland in the sixth and from Kirk against Matt Moore in the seventh.

“What are you gonna do?” Washington said. “I’d rather Kirk make me pay than Guerrero. I’m tired of watching him just bang balls off the wall, so I took my chances. And it’s no disrespect. It’s just that if I’m going to get beat in that situation, it’s going to have to be Kirk, and he did it.”

After Moore gave up the homer to Kirk, he threw four more pitches and left the game with an elbow issue. Washington said the 35-year-old left-hander would be re-evaluated on the off day on Monday in Detroit.

It’s going to be an off day that is much needed for a team that’s reeling.

“Its good to come in and regroup,” Neto said. “Take another extra day. It’ll be good for everybody. Come back in Detroit and see what we’ve got.”