TORONTO _ Tyler Skaggs' slide since his superb return to the major leagues continued Tuesday at Rogers Centre. The 25-year-old left-hander finished only four innings and gave as many runs in his sixth start of 2016 as the Los Angeles Angels lost, 7-2, to the Toronto Blue Jays.
Skaggs quickly allowed a first-inning run on a double, walk and single. Shortstop Andrelton Simmons then attempted to trick Toronto into a double play when Troy Tulowitzki lofted a baseball to him and the infield fly rule was called. Simmons let the ball drop in front of him, then watched it bounce into his face while the Blue Jays baserunners stayed put.
In the third inning, a similar fly by Edwin Encarnacion went a bit deeper. Left fielder Nick Buss dove for it and came up a foot short, loading the bases for Russell Martin without an out. Skaggs walked him to force in a run, and Toronto took the lead when Tulowitzki followed by grounding into a double play.
Skaggs yielded another run on a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning. Manager Mike Scioscia pulled him when he walked the first batter he faced in the fifth. Through six starts this season, Skaggs' earned-run average sits at 5.70.
He did not give up a run in his first two outings, but has struggled since, and Tuesday was his worst start to date. The five walks he issued tied a career high, and he struck out only two batters, a season low.
Buss drove in both the Angels' runs with his first career home run in the second inning. He timed an R.A. Dickey knuckleball and sent it out to right field.
The Angels scattered some baserunners thereafter. Their next-best chance to score came in the eighth, when Mike Trout led off with a single and swiped second base. Albert Pujols grounded a ball to third that Josh Donaldson flubbed, but because of Pujols' lack of speed and Donaldson's quick recovery, the Angels' designated hitter was thrown out.
Trout was then picked off, and C.J. Cron struck out swinging on a low fastball to end the inning. He flung his bat to the ground in disgust.
An inning later, the Angels suffered their 73rd loss of the season, dropping them into a temporary tie with Arizona for the third-worst record in baseball.
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