Bichette’s longball propels surging Blue Jays past Angels for season-high 8th straight win

Bo Bichette showcased his power at the plate once again, leading the Toronto Blue Jays to a thrilling 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday. With his homer in the fourth inning and a crucial run scored in the sixth, Bichette played a pivotal role in securing the series sweep for the Blue Jays in front of a lively crowd of 40,114 fans at Rogers Centre.

The Angels got off to a strong start with a solo home run from superstar Mike Trout in the opening inning. However, Bichette quickly responded with his 12th homer of the season in the fourth, leveling the score and making up for an earlier error that had loaded the bases for the Angels.

In the fourth inning, Joey Loperfido, making his season debut, came through with a clutch two-out single to give Toronto the lead. But the Angels fought back in the fifth, tying the game with a Taylor Ward single that scored Chad Stevens.

Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman delivered a solid performance on the mound, striking out nine batters in 5 2/3 innings while allowing two runs on seven hits and three walks. Tyler Anderson of the Angels also put up a strong effort, giving up three runs on eight hits with two walks and two strikeouts in five-plus innings.

Reliever Ryan Burr, making his first appearance of the season after recovering from a right shoulder injury, earned the win for the Blue Jays. Jeff Hoffman closed out the game with his 22nd save of the season.

In other Blue Jays news, Alejandro Kirk has been named to his second All-Star Game, joining teammate Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at the prestigious event. Kirk, the Blue Jays catcher, has been having an impressive season with a .301 batting average, seven home runs, and 41 RBIs. His stellar performance at the plate ranks him 11th in Major League Baseball and second among catchers, behind Will Smith of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Kirk’s first All-Star appearance was in 2022, where he finished the season with a .285 average and 14 home runs. The 26-year-old catcher has a career average of .270 with a total of 43 home runs over six seasons, all with the Toronto Blue Jays.

As the Blue Jays continue their winning streak and climb up the AL East standings, fans are eagerly anticipating what the rest of the season has in store for this exciting and dynamic team.