OAKLAND, Calif. – With manager Mike Scioscia resting many of his banged-up regulars, Kelvim Escobar earned his career-best 18th victory and Los Angeles won 3-2 at Oakland on Saturday.

It was the defending division champion Athletics’ fifth straight defeat and 10th in 11 games.

Juan Rivera and Erick Aybar each hit RBI singles and Jeff Mathis added a sacrifice fly for the Angels, who saw Bartolo Colon make his first relief appearance in 10 years.

Colon came out of the bullpen for only the third time in his career and first since Sept. 27, 1997, and pitched a perfect seventh with two strikeouts. Scot Shields allowed Dan Johnson’s RBI single in the eighth, then Francisco Rodriguez finished for his 40th save and second in as many games.

Escobar (18-7) won his third straight decision and seventh in eight after having his last turn skipped. He allowed five hits and one run in six innings, struck out four and walked two.

Lenny DiNardo (8-10) pitched 4 2-3 innings of relief and picked up the loss, giving up two runs in the fourth inning as Los Angeles went ahead 3-1. DiNardo allowed five hits, struck out four and didn’t walk a batter.

Blue Jays 5, Devil Rays 3

TORONTO – Adam Lind hit a three-run homer, John-Ford Griffin added a solo shot and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 5-3 on Saturday.

The Blue Jays have won 10 of 15, while Tampa Bay has lost 13 of 17.

Toronto broke a 1-all tie with a four-run eighth against reliever Dan Wheeler (0-5). Reed Johnson started the rally by reaching base on a throwing error, Matt Stairs walked and Russ Adams, pinch hitting for Frank Thomas, bunted down the third base line. Wheeler fielded the ball and threw to Joel Guzman, but he couldn’t find first base with his foot.

With the bases loaded, Hill hit a sacrifice fly and Lind connected to right-center.

Scott Downs (4-2) earned the win by getting pinch-hitter Jonny Gomes to ground into an inning-ending double play in the eighth.

MORE

AP-ES-09-29-07 1946EDT