Los Angeles Angels’ Yunel Escobar, left, is tagged out at home plate by Toronto Blue Jays catcher Russell Martin in the ninth inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Friday, July 28, 2017. (Fred Thornhill/The Canadian Press via AP) ORG XMIT: FJT114
Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Parker Bridwell throws against the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Friday, July 28, 2017. (Fred Thornhill/The Canadian Press via AP) ORG XMIT: FJT103
Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher J.A. Happ throws against the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Friday, July 28, 2017. (Fred Thornhill/The Canadian Press via AP) ORG XMIT: FJT104
Los Angeles Angels’ Albert Pujols walks back to dugout after striking out with the bases loaded during the second inning against the Toronto Blue Jays in a baseball game in Toronto on Friday, July 28, 2017. (Fred Thornhill/The Canadian Press via AP) ORG XMIT: FJT106
Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Parker Bridwell throws against the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Friday, July 28, 2017. (Fred Thornhill/The Canadian Press via AP) ORG XMIT: FJT102
Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher J.A. Happ, right, talks to home plate umpire Angel Hernandez about the calling of balls and strikes during the second inning in a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels in Toronto on Friday, July 28, 2017. (Fred Thornhill/The Canadian Press via AP) ORG XMIT: FJT107
Toronto Blue Jays’ Troy Tulowitzki, center, is helped off the field by trainers Mike Frostad, left, and George Poulis after he injured himself while running across first base in the third inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels in Toronto, Friday, July 28, 2017. (Fred Thornhill/The Canadian Press via AP) ORG XMIT: FJT111
Toronto Blue Jays’ Troy Tulowitzki, second from right, gets a pat from Los Angeles Angels first baseman C.J. Cron, left, as he is helped off the field by trainers George Poulis, right, and Mike Frosted after he injured himself while running across first base in the third inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Friday, July 28, 2017. (Fred Thornhill/The Canadian Press via AP) ORG XMIT: FJT110
Los Angeles Angels’ C.J. Cron, right, is congratulated by teammate Albert Pujols after hitting a two-run home run against the Toronto Blue Jays in the ninth inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Friday, July 28, 2017. (Fred Thornhill/The Canadian Press via AP) ORG XMIT: FJT117
Toronto Blue Jays’ Josh Donaldson reacts after fouling off a pitch in the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angles in Toronto, Friday, July 28, 2017. (Fred Thornhill/The Canadian Press via AP) ORG XMIT: FJT116
Los Angeles Angels second baseman Kaleb Cowart, left, gets the force-out at second base on Toronto Blue Jays’ Russell Martin in the eighth inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Friday, July 28, 2017. (Fred Thornhill/The Canadian Press via AP) ORG XMIT: FJT120
Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Parker Bridwell is congratulated by teammates in the dugout after coming out of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto, Friday, July 28, 2017. (Fred Thornhill/The Canadian Press via AP) ORG XMIT: FJT118
Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Parker Bridwell is congratulated by teammates in the dugout after coming out of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto, Friday, July 28, 2017. (Fred Thornhill/The Canadian Press via AP) ORG XMIT: FJT119
Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Chris Smith walks back up the mound after giving up a two-run home run to the Los Angeles Angels in the ninth inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Friday, July 28, 2017. (Fred Thornhill/The Canadian Press via AP) ORG XMIT: FJT121
Los Angeles Angels’ Andrelton Simmons, right, slides safely into third on a steal as Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson tumbles over him while trying to make a play in the eighth inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Friday, July 28, 2017. (Fred Thornhill/The Canadian Press via AP) ORG XMIT: FJT112
TORONTO — If the Angels come up short of October once again, the best that could come out of this season is they uncover a few players who could be parts of the future.
Parker Bridwell, and to a much lesser extent Kaleb Cowart, are doing what they can to show they are two such players.
Bridwell gave up one run on three hits in 7-1/3 innings in the Angels’ 7-2 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night, snapping the team’s three-game losing streak.
Cowart, who just this week got promoted to show if he can be the Angels everyday second baseman, had three hits and a spectacular play in the field.
Cowart has eight hits in 17 at-bats in five games in the majors this season, including one last month. It’s obviously far too small of a sample to make any conclusions, but he certainly hasn’t looked as overmatched as he did during the previous two years, when he hit .176 in limited opportunities.
Bridwell’s body of work is much more significant.
Since the Angels picked the 25-year-old off the scrap heap – acquired for cash or player to be named from the Baltimore Orioles in April – Bridwell has a 2.83 ERA in 54 innings. The Angels are 8-1 when he’s pitched.
“I wasn’t expecting to come up here and do bad, but this is the big leagues and in the back of your head, these are the best hitters in the world,” Bridwell said. “But being here for however many starts I’ve had, that kind of goes out the window.”
He said he’s got the confidence to pound the strike zone, rather than nibbling at the corners, and he does so with a quick rhythm that keeps his defenders on their toes. He needed just 95 pitches to get 22 outs on Tuesday.
Bridwell has also shown an ability to adapt. After his only bad start, he diagnosed the problem, came up with drills to fix it, and has done those drills ever since. He’s run off four straight quality starts.
“I wake up every day and tell myself I’m going to do whatever I have to do to stay here,” he said. “I’m going to continue to do it and see how it goes.”
Bridwell sliced through the first 11 Blue Jays hitters before walking Josh Donaldson in the fourth. He then gave up his first hit, a Justin Smoak double. He got Kendrys Morales on a flyout to strand the runners.
Bridwell got offensive and defensive support from Cowart.
In the second, Cowart’s two-out single into left drove in the game’s first run. He added a fourth-inning hit when his bouncer ticked off pitcher J.A. Happ’s glove. He lined a double in the ninth, adding a hit from the left side to the other two from the right side.
Cowart said upon his return to the majors at the beginning of the week that he’s simply trying to be more consistent, much of which comes from improved plate discipline.
“Swinging at the right pitches, the results will take care of themselves,” he said.
Cowart’s best moment was in the field. In the third, he ranged over the middle to backhand a Troy Tulowitzki bouncer. Cowart jumped and threw to first from mid-air, in time to get Tulowitzki.
“You see his athleticism show up (on a play like that),” Manager Mike Scioscia said of Cowart, who is still adjusting to second from playing mostly third. “There are little things about his foot work that he will continue to grow with, but he’s moving very well and turning the double play well.”
The only negative on the night for the Angels was Albert Pujols’ continued slump. Pujols went hitless in five at-bats, running his drought to 21 at-bats without a hit. His career-worst was an 0-for-26 skid in April 2016.
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