TORONTO -- Kelvim Escobar enjoyed the run support more than beating his former team.
Bengie Molina hit a grand slam during a seven-run seventh inning and Escobar had nine strikeouts, leading the Anaheim Angels over the Toronto Blue Jays 11-2 Saturday.
Escobar entered the game having received just 3.5 runs of support per start, fourth fewest among AL starters with at least 10 starts.
"It was great. There were some guys that were more happy than me because they know it's been tough," Escobar said. "When the game was over the guys were pumped up, they were like 'Kelvim, we got 11 runs for you."'
Escobar (5-5) allowed two runs on five hits and two walks in 5 1/3 innings. He signed a three-year, $18.75 million deal last winter after spending his first seven seasons with Toronto.
"I couldn't sleep last night. I was thinking about the game," said Escobar, who acknowledged it was special to beat the Blue Jays. "I guarantee, you can ask anybody, when you face your former team and get a win, it feels good."
Tim Salmon got his first hit against a left-hander this season by doubling off Ted Lilly in the fifth -- ending an 0-for-40 stretch.
"We were going to get him the ball," Anaheim manager Mike Scioscia joked.
Salmon admitted it was weighing on him.
"It was one of those weird, crazy things that happen in this game," Salmon said.
Lilly got the first two batters of the seventh out, but the next nine reached. After Lilly gave up a triple to Chone Figgins and walked a batter, Kerry Ligtenberg relieved and allowed all six batters he faced to reach.
Vladimir Guerrero and Jose Guillen hit RBI singles in the inning, and Ligtenberg walked Jeff DaVanon with the bases loaded before Molina hit his second career slam, giving Anaheim a 11-2 lead.
Bob File came on and hit a batter before getting the final out of the inning.
"If you give up one or two you've still got a chance. The grand slam was the big blow," Toronto manager Carlos Tosca said.
Toronto's Josh Phelps hit an RBI double in the first, but the Angels scored four runs in the fifth on David Eckstein's RBI single and Figgins' three-run double.
Reed Johnson cut it to 4-2 with an RBI double in the bottom half.
Lilly (7-6) didn't allow a base runner until Garret Anderson singled with two outs in the fourth, but he ended up giving up six runs on six hits in 6 2/3 innings.
Notes
Molina hit his other grand slam on July 2, 2002, versus Colorado. ... Ligtenberg's ERA went from 4.30 to 5.83. ... Toronto third baseman Eric Hinske has hit in 12 straight ... The Angels are 4-1 on their six-game trip.
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