OC Register: Angels put all the pieces together to win another road series

[AngelsWin.com]

• Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Giovanny Urshela (3) can’t make the catch on a ball thrown by Blue Jays first baseman Kendrys Morales (8) as Los Angeles Angels’ Martin Maldonado (12) slides in before advancing to third on the throwing error during the second inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Thursday, May 24, 2018. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

• Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Yangervis Solarte (26) fouls off a pitch during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Thursday, May 24, 2018 in Toronto. (Nathan Denette /The Canadian Press via AP)

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• Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Marco Estrada (25) is removed from the game by manager John Gibbons during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Thursday, May 24, 2018 in Toronto. (Nathan Denette /The Canadian Press via AP)

• Los Angeles Angels’ Justin Upton celebrates after scoring on an RBI single by Albert Pujols (5) during the third inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto, Thursday, May 24, 2018. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

• Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) hits a double against the Toronto Blue Jays during the third inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Thursday, May 24, 2018. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

• Los Angeles Angels’ Mike Trout (27) flies out to center field during the third inning of baseball action against the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto, Thursday, May 24, 2018. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

• Toronto Blue Jays center fielder Kevin Pillar (11) slides back to first on a pick-off attempt by Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Nick Tropeano (35) during the second inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Thursday, May 24, 2018. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

• Los Angeles Angels right fielder Kole Calhoun, right, makes a catch on a ball hit off the bat of Toronto Blue Jays’ Josh Donaldson as Angels’ Albert Pujols (5) looks on during the first inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Thursday, May 24, 2018. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

• Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Kendrys Morales catches a ball off the bat of Los Angeles Angels’ Justin Upton during the first inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Thursday, May 24, 2018. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

• Los Angeles Angels’ Mike Trout, right,steals second base ahead as Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Devon Travis fields the late throw during the first inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Thursday, May 24, 2018. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

• Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Marco Estrada (25) works against the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Thursday, May 24, 2018. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

• Los Angeles Angels’ Mike Trout (27) connects for a solo home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Thursday, May 24, 2018. (nathanDenette/The Canadian Press via AP)

• Los Angeles Angels’ Mike Trout, left, celebrates with teammates after hitting a solo home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Thursday, May 24, 2018. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

• Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) reacts after striking out against the Toronto Blue Jays during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Thursday, May 24, 2018. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

• Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Nick Tropeano works against the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Thursday, May 24, 2018. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

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TORONTO — Angels fans busy at work — or those unable to watch the rare Facebook-only broadcast — could at least take some solace in the fact that they didn’t miss much in Thursday’s matinee.

It was a pretty boring game.

Which is just the way the Angels like it.

The Angels scored early and kept adding on, while also getting solid pitching and defense in drama-free 8-1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.

For the Angels, it was a welcome contrast from what happened Wednesday night, when they needed a rally in the top of the ninth and an escape in the bottom of the inning to hang for a victory.

Winning the final two games of the series, the Angels took a series for the first time since May 4-6 in Seattle. The Angels (28-22) have not lost a series on the road this season, improving to 16-5.

Nick Tropeano pitched 7-1/3 innings, allowing one run, which was a nice bounceback from the only game in May in which an Angel starter didn’t get through the fifth. Tropeano was knocked out after 2-2/3 innings in his last start.

This time, he didn’t allow a run until Dwight Smith Jr.’s homer in the sixth. Tropeano got out of that inning with a double play and then retired all four batters he faced in the seventh and eighth, finishing with 92 pitches.

He allowed only four hits and one walk, as the Blue Jays never had multiple runners on base against him.

Tropeano also threw almost all of his pitches with the lead, after the Angels spotted him a 2-0 advantage on a Martín Maldonado two-run single in the second. It was the first of Maldonado’s two run-scoring hits, including an RBI double in the eighth.

In the third, Justin Upton doubled and came home on an Albert Pujols single. Pujols later added a homer, snapping a 67-at-bat homer drought. Mike Trout homered off the top of the left-field fence in the fifth, putting the Angels up 4-0.

Slumping Ian Kinsler doubled in the seventh and then alertly stole third, when pitcher John Axford wasn’t keeping an eye on him. That led to a run, when Kinsler scored on a groundout.

The Angels combined for 12 hits from seven players.

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