Scioscia tries another Pujols-less lineup

ANAHEIM -- The Angels were riding a season-high six-game losing streak, had just suffered three straight defeats to the Rangers via walk-off home runs and the offense had scored three runs or fewer in eight of 13 second-half games.

It was time to switch it up.

And so, for Thursday's series opener against Blue Jays right-hander Josh Johnson, Angels manager Mike Scioscia did. The big-swinging Kole Calhoun batted leadoff; Mike Trout was back to the No. 2 spot after hitting third in place of Albert Pujols over the last five games; Josh Hamilton -- 5-for-11 in Texas -- hit third for the second time all season; and Howie Kendrick, Mark Trumbo, Erick Aybar, Chris Nelson, J.B. Shuck and Chris Iannetta followed, respectively.

"There are some things you have to work around when a guy like Albert is not in the lineup," Scioscia said. "It's a look we've had before, so I don't think it's totally foreign except for Josh moving to the three-hole. It will give us a good look early in the first inning and hopefully we get some big boys up there with guys on base and see what happens. I think it's a good place for Erick to hit in the six-hole, in more of a spot where he can just slash and do what he does best and that's make contact and get hits, and maybe it'll be productive with some guys on base."