TORONTO-- Brett Lawrie hit a three-run homer and Yunel Escobar added a two-run shot as the Toronto Blue Jays broke out early to beat the Los Angeles Angels 11-2 on Saturday.

The Blue Jays took control of the game in the second inning when Kelly Johnson had a double and a triple and the Angels outfield committed two errors.

Henderson Alvarez (5-6) won his second start in a row after going winless in his previous seven starts as he held the Angels to seven hits and one run on 80 pitches. He allowed no walks and struck out three in seven innings.

Alvarez was being closely monitored after coming out of his start Monday in Boston, a 9-6 win for him, in the sixth inning with stiffness in his right elbow. An MRI showed only mild inflammation.

Angels starter Garrett Richards (2-1) was charged with 10 runs in 4 1/3 innings but only five were earned as the Angels blundered their way through Toronto's big second. He allowed nine hits and walked four.

The Blue Jays (40-38) took the lead in the first inning when Lawrie scored from third on Jose Bautista's double-play grounder.

Lawrie opened the inning by grounding a double past first base. He slid safely into third on Colby Rasmus' grounder to shortstop Andrew Romine, whose throw to third was too late to nab Lawrie.

Toronto scored seven in the second with five of the runs unearned. Johnson opened with a double and Escobar hit his fifth homer of the season for a two-run blast.

The inning continued when J.P. Arencibia singled, took second on passed ball and scored when centre-fielder Peter Bourjos dropped Lawrie's fly ball. Rasmus doubled to score Lawrie and Bautista singled Rasmus home. Edwin Encarnacion singled to left and Mike Trout's throwing error allowed Bautista to score and Encarnacion to go to third.

Johnson tripled to complete the scoring as Toronto equalled its biggest inning of the season, first done April 15 against Baltimore. It was the largest inning against the Angels (43-35) this season.

The Angels scored in the third on a single by Bobby Wilson and a double by Maicer Izturis.

Richards walked Adam Lind and Arencibia in the fifth before being replaced by David Carpenter, who was greeted by Lawrie's eighth homer of the season.

Former Angel pitcher David Pauley pitched the ninth for Toronto and gave up three singles with Romine's hit driving in a run.