Toronto Blue Jays Cavan Biggio, center, celebrates in the dugout after scoring off of a single hit by Alejandro Kirk during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, May 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, May 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Catcher Kurt Suzuki of the Angels falls backwards after catching a pop-up by Danny Jansen of the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 28, 2022 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, May 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Angels first baseman Jared Walsh catches a throw to first to out Toronto Blue Jays’ Santiago Espinal during the first inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, May 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani warms up in the dugout during the first inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, May 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Angels third baseman Matt Duffy throws to first during the second inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, May 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi returns to the dugout after the third inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, May 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Toronto Blue Jays catcher Danny Jansen, left, talks with starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi as they return to the dugout after the second inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, May 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi throws during the second inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, May 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Angels’ Mike Trout, Brandon Marsh, and Jared Walsh celebrate after Trout scored off of a ground out by Walsh during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, May 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Angels’ Luis Rengifo scores off of double hit by Matt Duffy during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, May 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Angels’ Luis Rengifo returns to the dugout after scoring off of double hit by Matt Duffy during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, May 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
A fan cheers during the first inning of a baseball game between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, May 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani swings a strike during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, May 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi adjusts his hat during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, May 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Angels’ Mike Trout celebrates with designated hitter Shohei Ohtani after hitting a home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, May 28, 2022. Ohtani also scored. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Angels’ Mike Trout runs the bases after hitting a home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, May 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani greets left fielder Brandon Marsh in the dugout before a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, May 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Angels’ Mike Trout celebrates in the dugout after hitting a home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, May 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Toronto Blue Jays’ Cavan Biggio, left, scores off of a single hit by Alejandro Kirk during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, May 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani is told to walk after he was hit by a pitch from Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Julian Merryweather during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, May 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani waits for a pitch during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, May 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani runs to first while flying out to second base during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, May 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani breaks a bat while flying out to second base during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, May 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani reacts after breaking a bat during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, May 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Toronto Blue Jays’ Teoscar Hernandez smiles in the dugout after scoring off of a double hit by Matt Chapman during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, May 28, 2022. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. also scored. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Angels players and Manager Joe Maddon meet on the pitching mound during a pitching change in the seventh inning of their game against the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM — Joe Maddon gave Aaron Loup a chance to redeem himself, and he got burned.
Loup allowed a pair of doubles while three runs scored in the eighth inning of the Angels’ 6-5 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday night.
It was the ugly finish to a night that also included a frightening scene when catcher Kurt Suzuki suffered a neck contusion during warmups before the third inning.
The Angels have lost four in a row, with Loup blowing late leads in each of the last two.
Loup signed a two-year, $17-million deal with the Angels after posting an 0.95 ERA last season with the New York Mets, and he pitched as advertised for the first month, but he’s struggled lately. He has allowed at least one run in his last four games, and at least one hit in his last six. It’s lifted his ERA to 4.82.
This time Maddon put him in an unusual situation — facing right-handed hitters — and it didn’t work.
Right-hander Kyle Barraclough started the eighth just after Mike Trout had given the Angels a 4-3 lead with a two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh. Barraclough had not been used in high leverage spots, but Maddon gave him a shot.
Barraclough walked two hitters and then nearly gave up a three-run homer, but left fielder Brandon Marsh made a leaping catch at the fence.
That was enough for Maddon, who then brought Loup into the game despite the fact that the Blue Jays had two right-handed hitters coming to the plate.
Loup struck out Lourdes Gurriel Jr., but then Matt Chapman pushed a line drive into right-center field. Right fielder Juan Lagares got a glove on it as he slid, but couldn’t make the catch, allowing the tying run to score. Lagares hurriedly threw the ball into second baseman Luis Rengifo, who bobbled it, allowing a second run to score.
The Angels then intentionally walked pinch-hitter George Springer to get to the left-handed hitting Raimel Tapia, and Loup gave up a double to him too, allowing an insurance run to score.
That run proved to be the difference, because the Angels scored once on a Brandon Marsh RBI single in the bottom of the ninth. The game ended when Andrew Velazquez grounded out with the bases loaded.
It was the end of a tumultuous night that saw the lead change hands three times in the seventh inning or later, starting with the Blue Jays taking a 3-2 lead in the top of the seventh and the Angels re-taking the lead on Trout’s homer in the bottom of the seventh.
It was the first time since May 2014, and only the second time in his career, that Trout hit a homer to turn a deficit to a lead in the seventh inning or later. He had hit nine tie-breaking homers in the seventh or later.
Shohei Ohtani roughed up in Angels’ loss to Blue Jays
Trout’s homer took Michael Lorenzen off the hook for a loss that he didn’t deserve.
Lorenzen was charged with three runs in 6-2/3 innings, but he had a 2-1 lead when he took the mound in the seventh, having dominated the Blue Jays for most of the game after allowing a run in the first.
He was one out away from finishing the seventh with a 2-1 lead, but he gave up a run-scoring double to Cavan Biggio to tie the game.
Biggio then scored on a single by pinch-hitter Alejandro Kirk against reliever Archie Bradley, charging a third run to Lorenzen and giving the Blue Jays a 3-2 lead.
The rough start and finish detracted from a dominant outing. In the second through fifth innings, Lorenzen gave up just one infield single and one walk. He faced just one hitter over the minimum.
Nearly one-third of the way through the season, the experiment to make Lorenzen a starter so far seems to be a success.
Through eight starts, he has a 3.19 ERA in 48 innings. He’s finished six innings and allowed three runs or fewer in six of his eight starts.
