Blue Jays victim of Angels, Escobar

The pitcher and two relievers and Tim Salmon's home run helped in the 3-0 win.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
TORONTO -- Kelvim Escobar and two relievers combined on a four-hitter and Tim Salmon homered to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 3-0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday.
Salmon went 2-for-3 with an intentional walk in his first start in right field since July 25, 2004. He missed all of last season because of shoulder and knee injuries.
Salmon homered off Ted Lilly (3-2) in the fourth to give Los Angeles a 1-0 lead.
He entered the game in a 3-for-24 slump. The Angels had lost seven of their last eight because of a struggling offense.
Escobar (4-2) dominated his former team, allowing just three hits, while striking out six and walking two in 6 2-3 innings. He left after Shea Hillenbrand lined a ball off his right leg for a hit in the seventh. Escobar said he doesn't think it will be a problem in his next start.
Scot Shields followed with 1 1-3 perfect innings and Francisco Rodriguez pitched the ninth for his ninth save in 10 chances.
Toronto was shut out for the first time this season.
Lilly looked sharp but took the loss, allowing two runs and five hits in seven innings.
Vladimir Guerrero doubled in a run and Robb Quinlan had an RBI single for the Angels.
LOS ANGELESTORONTO
abrhbiabrhbi
Figgins lf5000Rios rf4010
OCbera ss2200Ctlnotto lf4010
VGrero dh4011VWells cf3000
Salmon rf3121Glaus 3b4000
Ktchm 1b0000Ovrbay 1b2000
Quinlan 1b4011Hlnbrn dh3020
Alfonzo 3b4000BMolna c3000
Kndrck 2b4000Adams ss3000
Napoli c3010AHill 2b2000
Murphy cf3010Hinske ph1000
JMcDld 2b0000
Totals32363Totals29040
Los Angeles000101010--3
Toronto000000000--0
DP--Los Angeles 2, Toronto 1. LOB--Los Angeles 7, Toronto 4. 2B--VGuerrero (2), Rios (10). HR--Salmon (4). SB--OCabrera (7), Murphy (1). CS--Quinlan (1), VWells (3).
IPHRERBBSO
Los Angeles
KEscobar W,4-26 2-330026
Shields1 1-300000
FrRodriguez S,9110000
Toronto
Lilly L,3-2752236
Speier111110
Rosario100011
WP--KEscobar. Umpires--Home, Rob Drake; First, Larry Young; Second, Mike Everitt; Third, Alfonso Marquez. T--2:26. A--29,761.
Athletics 3, Devil Rays 2
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Jay Payton took part in three crazy plays and scored the winning run when the ball went between third baseman Aubrey Huff's legs with two outs in the ninth.
Moments earlier, Payton stayed on second following a wild 6-4-5-6-4 double play in which Dan Johnson was forced out at second right before Payton returned to the base after taking off on Marco Scutaro's ground ball. Scutaro was headed for second, too, and became the second out when he arrived at the base at the same time.
Chad Orvella (1-3) gave up Payton's single to start the ninth, then walked Johnson. Orvella was at 1-2 with Scutaro when manager Joe Maddon called for Tyler Walker. After Scutaro's play, Jason Kendall hit a routine grounder to third that Huff missed, allowing Payton to score.
TAMPA BAYOAKLAND
abrhbiabrhbi
Lugo ss4000Kendall c4110
Crwfrd lf4020Swisher lf4010
Gomes dh3010Kotsay cf4021
Huff 3b4000EChavz 3b4010
Wggntn 2b3010Crosby ss4110
TLee 1b4000Mlhuse dh4010
Brnyan rf3111Payton rf3121
THall c1000DJnson 1b2000
Paul c2010Scutaro 2b3000
Norton ph1111
Hollins rf0000
Gthrght cf2000
Totals31272Totals32392
Tampa Bay000010010--2
Oakland000110001--3
Two outs when winning run scored.
E--Huff (1). DP--Tampa Bay 2, Oakland 3. LOB--Tampa Bay 5, Oakland 8. 2B--Crawford (4), Kendall (4), Swisher (9), Melhuse (2). HR--Branyan (2), Norton (2). SB--Payton (1). SF--Payton.
IPHRERBBSO
Tampa Bay
McClung6 1-382232
Meadows2-300001
Orvella L,1-3111011
TyWalker2-300000
Oakland
Zito751113
Duchscherer111101
JKennedy W,2-0110021
Orvella pitched to 2 batters in the 9th. Umpires--Home, Brian O'Nora; First, Phil Cuzzi; Second, Jerry Crawford; Third, Chuck Meriwether. T--2:42. A--25,080.
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