Ernie Clement connects on eye-level fastball as Blue Jays win

TORONTO — Ernie Clement homered for the third time in his past three games, and the Toronto Blue Jays used a five-run second inning to build an early lead and beat the Los Angeles Angels 5-3 on Thursday night.

Clement’s homer came on an out-of-the-strike zone fastball 4.6 feet off the ground from right-hander Mike Baumann. It was the second-highest pitch hit for a home run in the Statcast era (since 2015).

“I probably shouldn’t be swinging at pitches like that one,” Clement said. “I’ve struck out on that pitch a couple of times this year. I just try to get the barrel to the ball with two strikes.”

Angels manager Ron Washington offered a different take.

“Sometimes you do the impossible,” he said.

The Blue Jays, who swept a three-game road series against the Angels last week, have won four straight meetings and eight of 10.

Niko Kavadas hit a three-run home run for his first major league hit, connecting off Toronto right-hander Tommy Nance with two outs in the ninth inning.

“Definitely a big relief,” Kavadas said.

The Angels lost for the eighth time in 10 games hours after they announced a two-year contract extension for general manager Perry Minasian.

“We hadn’t scored a run in 17 innings and then we finally broke through,” Washington said. “Hopefully that gives us a boost for tomorrow.”

Los Angeles lost 3-0 at Kansas City on Wednesday.

Reliever Ryan Burr started for the Blue Jays, who pushed all their regular starters back a day to give them extra rest. Toronto and Boston are scheduled to resume a suspended game in the top of the second inning Monday before playing a second game later that day.

The right-handed Burr allowed two hits, exiting after Jo Adell singled to lead off the second. Adell finished 3-for-4.

Left-hander Ryan Yarbrough (5-2) followed with five shutout innings. Yarbrough gave up three hits, all singles. He walked none and struck out four.

“It was like Bob Ross,” manager John Schneider said of Yarbrough’s 60-pitch outing. “He was painting.”

Left-hander Brendon Little pitched the seventh and Nance worked the final two innings.

Brock Burke (1-1) started for the Angels, his first major league start since September 2019 with Texas. The right-hander allowed three runs and three hits.

Burke retired the side in order in the first and left after giving up three straight hits to open the second, including an RBI double by Alejandro Kirk and an RBI single by Will Wagner.

Clement greeted Baumann with a 380-foot home run to left, his 10th of the season. He’s the second Blue Jays player to homer in three straight games this season, joining Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Joey Loperfido followed with a triple and later scored on George Springer’s RBI groundout.

“They put that five on the board and that was it,” Washington said.

Making his first relief appearance of 2024 after a career-high 25 starts this season, Angels right-hander Griffin Canning took over in the third and retired 18 of the 20 batters he faced over six scoreless innings.

“He really looked sharp out there from the first inning he came in,” Washington said.

Information from ESPN Stats & Information and The Associated Press was used in this report.