Blue Jays 14, Angels 1: Valenzuela, Clement Power a Seven-Run Fifth

The lead

May 9, 2026 - Toronto - The Toronto Blue Jays set season highs for runs and hits while Brandon Valenzuela and Ernie Clement turned a tight afternoon into a rout. Valenzuela’s three-run homer highlighted a seven-run fifth, Clement tied a career high with five hits and added a solo blast, and Toronto rolled past the Los Angeles Angels 14-1, per the Associated Press recap on CBS Sports.

Mason Fluharty (2-0) picked up the win after one inning of relief as the Blue Jays finished with 20 hits. Jack Kochanowicz (2-2) failed to record an out in the fifth while allowing seven runs, six earned, on nine hits.

How the game turned

Toronto broke a scoreless tie in the fourth, then detonated the fifth. Valenzuela, who went 4-for-5 with four RBI and fell a triple shy of the cycle, homered on the first pitch he saw from Mitch Farris during the big inning. Clement—who singled twice in the infield earlier, then cashed a run with a single off Yoán Moncada’s glove—later led off the seventh with his second homer of the year.

Addison Barger, back from a 29-game absence with a sprained ankle, delivered a defensive highlight in the second: a 101.2 mph throw home on Vaughn Grissom’s fly ball to cut down Jorge Soler for an inning-ending double play. CBS noted it as the hardest tracked outfield assist by a Blue Jay since 2015 and the hardest in the majors this season.

Pitching and matchup notes

After Kochanowicz exited, the Angels pieced together innings while the score gap grew. Mike Trout went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts before leaving for Bryce Teodosio, ending a 23-game on-base streak in Toronto that dated to May 2015, per AP. Adam Frazier drove in the Angels’ only run with a pinch single in the eighth, then allowed four runs while pitching the bottom half as position-player mop-up; Jesús Sánchez touched him for a solo homer.

Bats that changed the board

Toronto’s 20-hit attack included Valenzuela’s power and Clement’s 5-for-5 line with three runs and two RBI. The inning lines on CBS show seven runs in the fifth, two in the seventh, and four in the eighth—an offense that never let Rogers Centre settle once the lineup cycled.

AthX Engine fantasy angle

Toronto led the May 9 slate at 30 AthX Engine team FP, with Brandon Valenzuela (15 hitting FP) and Ernie Clement (13) pacing the hitter board on AthX Engine’s daily scoring. Crooked innings with multi-hit nights still spike team totals faster than quiet scatter plots. AthX Engine differs from dynamic pricing.

What comes next

José Soriano and Eric Lauer were listed for Sunday’s series wrap as Toronto tries to carry the loud afternoon forward and the Angels look for a cleaner start on the mound.

*Sources: MLB.com schedule, MLB gameday wrap, CBS Sports recap, Associated Press via CBS, and AthX Engine scoring. Information only; not financial advice.*