Valenzuela, Clement lead Blue Jays to 14-1 thumping of Angels

Toronto Blue Jays' Brandon Valenzuela (59) is congratulated as he crosses home plate by teammate Daulton Varsho (5) after hitting a three run home run off Los Angeles Angels pitcher Mitch Farris during fifth inning MLB baseball action in Toronto, Saturday, May 9, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

Brandon Valenzuela’s three-run homer capped off a seven-run fifth inning, and Ernie Clement belted a career-tying five hits for the Toronto Blue Jays in a 14-1 thumping of the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday.

Toronto sent 11 batters to the plate in the fifth as Valenzuela’s homer to left field was his fourth in 2026. Clement’s 5-for-5 game at the plate included a solo shot to lead off the seventh.

Addison Barger returned after missing 29 games with a sprained left ankle. He had an outfield assist in the second inning and went 0-for-3 with two walks.

The Blue Jays (18-21) enjoyed a 20-hit outing with four runs on four hits in the ninth, and Angels position player Adam Frazier pitching. Toronto won the first two games of the three-game set.

The Angels (15-25) have dropped four of their last six outings.

Valenzuela’s homer came off a first-pitch slider from starter Jack Kochanowicz (2-2), who departed after facing six batters in the fifth without recording an out.

Kochanowicz allowed six earned runs on nine hits with two walks and no strikeouts before 41,461 at Rogers Centre.

Toronto starter Trey Yesavage went four innings. His 87-pitch, shutout effort yielded six strikeouts with four hits, two walks and a hit batter.

Relievers Mason Fluharty (2-0), Braydon Fisher, Joe Mantiply, Tyler Rogers and Tommy Nance worked an inning each to close the deal. Rogers surrendered the Angels’ lone run in the eighth.

Takeaways

Blue Jays: Honoured former manager Bobby Cox, who passed away at 84 on Saturday, with a moment of silence before the game. A 2014 Hall of Fame inductee, Cox managed the Blue Jays for four seasons, steering them to their first division title in 1985.

Angels: The visitors aided Toronto’s fifth with sloppy defence. There was a wild pitch and a throwing error from Kochanowicz. A Jesus Sanchez blooper down the left field line fell between outfielder Josh Lowe, Yoan Moncada and shortstop Zach Neto. Finally, Moncado failed to knock down Clement’s hard-hit grounder.

Key moment

Barger snared Vaughn Grissom’s line drive to right and then threw a bullet to catcher Valenzuela to nab a tagging Jorge Soler at the plate for a second-inning ending double play.

Key stat

Toronto’s Kazuma Okamoto extended his hit streak to eight games. He has batted .370 (10 for 27) with five homers, nine RBI and five walks in May.

Up next

Lefty Eric Lauer (1-4) will start for Toronto in the series finale against Angels righty Jose Soriano (5-2) on Sunday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 9, 2026.

Tim Wharnsby, The Canadian Press