Howie Kendrick scores go-ahead run on 9th-inning double play, Angels beat Blue Jays 6-5

Kendrick scores in 9th, Angels beat Blue Jays 6-5

TORONTO — Howie Kendrick dashed home with some daring baserunning, scoring the go-ahead run on a ninth-inning double play to help the Los Angeles Angels beat the Toronto Blue Jays 6-5 on Thursday.

Justin Speier (2-1) got the win despite giving up a tying sacrifice fly in the eighth. Brian Fuentes closed it out for his 14th save in 17 chances, striking out Jose Bautista to strand runners at first and second.

Trailing 5-2 after seven innings, the Blue Jays tied it with a three-run eighth against the Angels’ beleaguered bullpen, which came in with a major league-worst 5.68 ERA.

Darren Oliver replaced John Lackey and gave up singles to Adam Lind and Kevin Millar. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch, then scored when Lyle Overbay doubled past Gary Matthews Jr. in right field.

Justin Speier came on for Oliver and walked Bautista, then loaded the bases when Rod Barajas blooped a single to center. Joe Inglett lined out but Marco Scutaro tied it with a sacrifice fly.

Facing right-hander Brandon League (1-2), Kendrick opened the ninth with a bunt single and went to third on Chone Figgins’ single to right. Erick Aybar grounded into a 4-6-3 double play, but Kendrick raced home as the second out was made at first, sliding in ahead of the throw from first baseman Lyle Overbay, who hesitated after making the catch and didn’t appear to see that Kendrick had made a late break for the plate.

Lackey allowed two runs and seven hits in seven innings, walked three and struck out six. He was denied his first win since May 18.

Making his first start of the season in the cleanup spot, Toronto’s Adam Lind went 5 for 5 with three doubles, matching a team record with eight consecutive hits.

Alex Rios was 0 for 5 with five strikeouts for the Blue Jays, who have lost 12 of 15.

Toronto left-hander Brian Tallet, who allowed three runs in the first two innings of his previous start, Saturday against Boston, was in trouble again early in this one, giving up three in the first.

Figgins led off with a walk, went to second on a grounder and scored on Vladimir Guerrero’s single. Guerrero stole second and scored on a single by Torii Hunter, who also stole second and scored on Juan Rivera’s double.

Tallet set down eight of the next nine batters but ran into trouble again in the fourth, when Figgins drove in Robb Quinlan with a two-out single.

Overbay hit an RBI single in the bottom half, but Mike Napoli answered with his eighth homer in the sixth.

Tallet allowed five runs and six hits in six innings and has won just once in his past five starts. He walked three and struck out six.

Toronto’s Aaron Hill hit an RBI grounder in the seventh but finished 0 for 5 and is hitless in his past 20 at-bats.

Quinlan was replaced by Matthews in the sixth, with Rivera moving from right to left and Matthews taking over in right.