Trout drives in four runs as Angels take three-game series from Blue Jays

Aug 25, 2016 | 7:30 PM

TORONTO — J.A. Happ felt he had what it took to pitch deep into Thursday night’s game.

Then, suddenly, he didn’t.

After five stellar innings — including a stretch where Happ retired 13 batters in a row — the Blue Jays left-hander allowed four runs in the sixth frame en route to a 6-3 defeat to the Los Angeles Angels.

A lead-off double to Kaleb Cowart and a walk to No. 9 hitter Gregorio Petit was followed by a strange play that saw Kole Calhoun reach base when his innocent-looking ground ball hit Happ on the outside of the left foot and ricochet into foul territory to load the bases for the Angels’ hottest hitters. 

Mike Trout promptly drove in two runs and Albert Pujols added his 100th RBI of the season as Los Angeles took the lead and held it for good. 

“That’s a game I felt I was going deep for sure, but it didn’t bounce our way,” Happ said. “If that ball doesn’t hit off my foot there, (that’s a) potential double play and that inning looks a whole lot different.

“I just struggled to get through that inning but leading up to it those first five I felt crisp, really good with everything.”

Trout was 3 for 4 and drove in four total runs as the Angels (54-73) won the three-game series. Pujols had two hits while everyone else in the Los Angeles lineup reached base at least once.

Jered Weaver (9-11) earned the victory, allowing two runs on five hits through 5 2/3 innings while walking three and striking out four.

Happ (17-4) pitched five-plus innings, striking out six and allowing four runs on six hits and a walk. It was the first time since June 28 that he failed to pitch past the fifth inning, and first time since June 6 that he shouldered a loss.

Happ, the co-leader in the American League in victories (tied with Boston’s Rick Porcello), came into the game riding an 11-decision win streak.

“He was rolling right along, I thought he was really good tonight but it started off with that double (from Cowart) just inside the line,” Toronto manager John Gibbons said. “I think the big thing was walking Petit, that kind of opened up some things. Then the ball that he got hit (with), a hair this way or that it could be right at Tulo (shortstop Troy Tulowitzki).

“But I thought he was good, his stuff was good tonight.”

Josh Donaldson hit his 29th home run of the season for the Blue Jays (71-56), who missed an opportunity to gain ground over Boston in the American League East standings after the Red Sox lost to Tampa Bay earlier Thursday.

Jose Bautista, reinstated off the disabled list earlier in the day, drove in two runs, and Melvin Upton Jr., had three hits, including two doubles.

A night after thrashing the Blue Jays for 17 hits during Wednesday’s game, Los Angeles again outhit the Blue Jays 11-7.

“It sure seemed like it the last two nights they were finding holes and we were making good contact but hitting it right at them,” Happ said. “I hate saying the phrase but that’s baseball. That is baseball. We’ve got to turn the page and get back at them and do something to turn the energy back up.”

Bautista, who received a loud ovation from the 46,273 at Rogers Centre, put Toronto on the board in the second inning by plating Upton from third base with a sacrifice fly to right field.

Donaldson doubled the Blue Jays’ lead in the fifth. The reigning AL MVP launched a two-out, 1-1 offering from Weaver into the Flight Deck in centre field.

Bautista doubled in Upton in the ninth to cut the deficit to 6-3.

The Blue Jays loaded the bases with two out in the bottom of the sixth when Weaver allowed back-to-back singles to Kevin Pillar and Upton and walked Ezequiel Carrera. Jose Valdez came on in relief and got a ground-ball out from Darwin Barney. 

“There’s no doubt we’ve cooled off (offensively) and that’s due to change, it always does,” said Gibbons. “There’s not a lot of season left but we’re due.”

NOTES: Bautista had been out of the lineup with a knee injury since Aug. 10. He hit leadoff and served as the designated hitter. … Pujols became just the fifth player in MLB history to reach 100 RBI’s in 13 different seasons. The others were Alex Rodriguez, Jimmie Foxx, Lou Gehrig, and Babe Ruth.

Melissa Couto, The Canadian Press