Mike Trout, Kole Calhoun homer as Angels complete sweep of Blue Jays

The Angels’ Brian Goodwin, right, steals second past Blue Jays second baseman Eric Sogard during the first inning of Thursday’s game at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MAY 02: Tyler Skaggs #45 of the Los Angeles Angels pitches against the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 02, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Sound

The gallery will resume inseconds
Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Aaron Sanchez throws to a Los Angeles Angels batter during the first inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Thursday, May 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
Toronto Blue Jays catcher Danny Jansen, right, tags out Los Angeles Angels’ Albert Pujols at the plate, who tried to score on a ball hit by Justin Bour, as starting pitcher Aaron Sanchez, left, watches after throwing the ball to Jansen during the third inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Thursday, May 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
Los Angeles Angels’ Albert Pujols celebrates after a double against the Toronto Blue Jays during the second inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Thursday, May 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
Los Angeles Angels’ Luis Rengifo, right, is safe at third past Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Brandon Drury with a triple during the second inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Thursday, May 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MAY 02: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. #27 of the Toronto Blue Jays during the third inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 02, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MAY 02: Kole Calhoun #56 of the Los Angeles Angels reacts to his two-run home run to take a 2-0 lead over the Toronto Blue Jays during the second inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 02, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MAY 02: Kole Calhoun #56 of the Los Angeles Angels celebrates his two run homerun with Albert Pujols #5 to take a 2-0 lead over the Toronto Blue Jays during the second inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 02, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Los Angeles Angels’ Kole Calhoun celebrates his two-run home run with Albert Pujols during the second inning against the Toronto Blue Jays in a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Thursday, May 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Aaron Sanchez reacts after giving up two runs to the Los Angeles Angels during the second inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Thursday, May 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Tyler Skaggs throws to a Toronto Blue Jays batter during the first inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Thursday, May 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MAY 02: Albert Pujols #5 of the Los Angeles Angels hits a double during the third inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 02, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Eric Sogard can’t get a glove on a single by Los Angeles Angels’ Andrelton Simmons during the third inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Thursday, May 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MAY 02: Aaron Sanchez #41 of the Toronto Blue Jays reacts as Andrelton Simmons #2 of the Los Angeles Angels scores on his bases-loaded walk, to trail 3-0 during the third inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 02, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MAY 02: Danny Jansen #9 of the Toronto Blue Jays reacts as Brian Goodwin #18 of the Los Angeles Angels scores to take a 5-0 lead during the fourth inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 02, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MAY 02: Mike Trout #27 of the Los Angeles Angels watches his solo homerun to take a 6-2 lead over the Toronto Blue Jays during the sixth inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 02, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MAY 02: Mike Trout #27 of the Los Angeles Angels celebrates his solo homerun with Kole Calhoun #56 to take a 6-2 lead over the Toronto Blue Jays during the sixth inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 02, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. gestures to a fan during the fifth inning of the team’s baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Calif., Thursday, May 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
Los Angeles Angels relief pitcher Luis Garcia tries to get out of the way of a ball hit by Toronto Blue Jays’ Eric Sogard during the eighth inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Thursday, May 2, 2019. Shortstop Andrelton Simmons threw the ball to first for the out. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
Los Angeles Angels relief pitcher Hansel Robles celebrates the team’s 6-2 win against the Toronto Blue Jays in a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Thursday, May 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

ANAHEIM — The Angels won’t play another game on their home turf for two weeks. In between they’re scheduled for 11 games in four cities in two countries, beginning Saturday in Monterrey, Mexico.

“Monster trip,” pitcher Tyler Skaggs said, “is an understatement.”

At least they’re leaving on a high note.

The Angels never trailed in beating the Toronto Blue Jays 6-2 on Thursday, their fourth straight win and their sixth in their last seven games. Kole Calhoun and Mike Trout hit home runs, Skaggs (3-2) allowed two runs over six innings, and Albert Pujols hit a pair of doubles – two years to the date after his last two-double game.

The Angels (15-17) have a rare Friday off before playing the Astros this weekend. They’ll be two time zones and more than 1,000 miles away from home, but they’ll be designated as the “home team” in Monterrey. Then it’s on to “real” road games in Detroit, Baltimore and Minneapolis.

Don’t forget to write.

“I think everybody’s really pumped up about going to Mexico and playing those two games, especially for some of the fans who don’t get to watch us live,” Pujols said. “I think it’s pretty cool, what Major League Baseball is doing, trying to promote more of the game.”

Thanks to Houston’s two-game losing streak, the Angels enter the series just three games behind the first-place Astros (18-14) in the American League West. They were 6½ games out as recently as April 24.

Since then, several Angels have heated up.

Trout’s seventh home run of 2019, part of a 2-for-4 night, was his first since April 19. He’s reached base in every game he’s played this season – a 29-game streak to begin the season, extending his own franchise record. Brian Goodwin had three of the Angels’ 11 hits. The Angels haven’t lost since Goodwin moved into the number-3 spot in the batting order. They trailed for all of half an inning during their four consecutive wins.

“This was a good three-game series, a good six games overall the last two series,” Manager Brad Ausmus said.

Blue Jays starter Aaron Sanchez (3-2) lost for the first time in his last five starts. The right-hander allowed two runs in the second inning, one in the third, and two more in the fourth inning while allowing nine hits. Shaky defense and a bases-loaded walk in the third inning furthered the Angels’ cause. Sanchez was removed after four innings down 5-0.

Leading off the second inning, Pujols clobbered a ball a few feet below the yellow home run line in right field. He hustled into second base with a stand-up double. The next batter, Calhoun, saw a 1-and-1 fastball down the middle and planted a home run in the right field bleachers. The Angels led 2-0.

In the third inning, Andrelton Simmons sparked a two-out rally with an infield single. He went to third base when Pujols scorched another double down the third-base line. The next batter, Calhoun, was intentionally walked.

That loaded the bases for Kevan Smith, who watched three pitches for balls, took a fastball for a strike, then jogged to first base when Sanchez missed inside with ball four. Simmons could walk home with the Angels’ third run.

The bases remained loaded for Justin Bour, who smoked a 107-mph comebacker back to the mound. Sanchez threw to home plate, where Pujols’ arm clipped catcher Danny Jansen as he arrived standing up, a moment too late to score.

“I figured if I could stand up and maybe give (Sanchez) a tougher throw, he could maybe throw it to the side and hit my back or something,” Pujols said. “It wouldn’t matter if I would have slid or would have stood up.”

Another two-out rally extended the Angels’ lead in the fourth inning. Back-to-back singles by Trout and Goodwin put runners at first and third. When Simmons poked a single through a vacant right side of the infield, Trout scored easily. Goodwin scored too after Alen Hanson lost the ball under his glove in right field – a two-base error. The Angels led 5-0.

In all three games of the series, the Blue Jays failed to record a hit for at least three innings. Their first hit against Skaggs was a double by Brandon Drury to lead off the fifth. Drury went to third base on a Rowdy Tellez single and scored on a Teoscar Hernandez groundout.

By that point, Toronto trailed 5-1 and Skaggs was rolling. He threw 69 pitches in the first five innings. He didn’t labor until the sixth, when Randal Grichuk doubled in Eric Sogard with the Blue Jays’ second run.

Skaggs was bailed out of that inning when Simmons cleverly created a double play. With runners on first and second base and one out, the shortstop allowed a soft flare to fall in front of his glove. Simmons stepped on second base for a force out, then tagged out Grichuk to end a rundown between second and third base.

“I thought early on I kind of kept them off-balance with the changeup,” Skaggs said. “I wish my curveball was on today. It would’ve been a lot of fun.”

Skaggs won consecutive starts for the first time this season, lowering his earned-run average to 3.12. He walked three batters and struck out five. The back-to-back wins came after a brief stay on the 10-day injured list, a time when Skaggs said he benefited from being able to focus on his mechanics.

Luke Bard, Luis Garcia and Hansel Robles each threw a scoreless inning of relief, each striking out two. The sight of rose petals and galloping horses in Robles’ entrance video will have to tide fans over for a while. The Angels’ next game in Anaheim is May 17.

“The last road trip we had, we won the series in Kansas City, but we’ve been struggling on the road,” Pujols said. “One of the teams that we’re chasing, Houston, has been a big rival over the last four or five years. They have a pretty good team. Day off tomorrow. Hopefully, we can get those (Monterrey) games in too, because I hear the weather is supposed to be really bad.”

According to weather.com, there’s an 80 percent chance of rain in Monterrey on Saturday and a 50 percent chance of rain on Sunday.

Team home run leader, Kole Calhoun talks about the @Angels success the last week pic.twitter.com/UQu6EA83ba

— FOX Sports West (@FoxSportsWest) May 3, 2019