ANAHEIM, Calif. - The Los Angeles Angels were counting on Garrett Richards to keep the hot-hitting Toronto Blue Jays in check after a couple of one-sided losses by Hector Santiago and rookie Andrew Heaney.

But the hits kept on coming for the Blue Jays, who pounded out 17 more Sunday in a 12-5 victory that completed a humiliating sweep of the reeling Angels. They are now 5 1-2 games behind the Houston Astros in the AL West and 1 1-2 behind the Texas Rangers for the second AL Wild Card spot.

"There's still a lot of confidence in that room," manager Mike Scioscia said after holding a lengthy closed-door meeting. "We need to bring that confidence onto the field and play games like we can.

"They're busting their butts and playing hard. All its going to take is one good game, hopefully playing like the way we can — on our terms — and moving forward from there."

Toronto totalled 36 runs and 48 hits against a vanquished pitching staff that has surrendered 44 runs, 60 hits and 15 walks over their last four games following Jered Weaver's 1-0 victory over the White Sox on Wednesday.

Garrett Richards (12-10) was charged with nine runs and 10 hits in five-plus innings against an offence that leads the majors with 670 runs and set a franchise record for a three-game series.

"With Toronto, you crack the door open and they take advantage. Their a good ballclub," Scioscia said. "I don't think Garrett was as sharp this afternoon as he has been. We had the lead, and he couldn't get his pitches into the zone. Garrett got into the sixth, but our bullpen is running on fumes. Those guys have been pitching a lot."

Edwin Encarnacion went 4 for 4 with a homer and four RBIs, helping the Blue Jays vault back into first place in the AL East. Their 16th victory in 19 games, coupled with the Yankees' 4-3 loss to Cleveland, put Toronto atop the division for the first time since Aug. 13.

Dickey (8-10) won his fifth straight decision over seven starts, despite allowing five runs and 11 hits in six innings. The knuckleballing right-hander overcame a 39-pitch first in which he gave up an RBI triple by Mike Trout, run-scoring hits by C.J. Cron and rookie Kaleb Cowart, and two sacrifice flies.

"I can't remember a time in my big league career where I gave up a 5-spot in the first inning," Dickey said. "I was walking a tightrope and was in danger of getting pullled in my shortest outing ever as a big leagues. I only walked one and I kept the ball in the ballpark. And that saved me from it being a much shorter outing."

Toronto closed to 5-3 in the second when a hard grounder to third base by Troy Tulowitzki with one out and the bases loaded got past Cowart for an error that allowed two runs to score.

Richards minimized the damage by getting major league RBI leader Josh Donaldson to ground into a double play on the next pitch, but the Blue Jays grabbed a 6-5 lead in the third.

Encarnacion hit an RBI single that extended his career-best hitting streak to 19 games, Ben Revere had a run-scoring infield hit, and Kevin Pillar scored the go-ahead run when shortstop Erick Aybar misplayed Ryan Goins' grounder toward the middle for the Angels' fifth error of the series.

Toronto increased its lead to 8-5 in the fourth with back-to-back homers by Jose Bautista (his 29th) and Encarnacion (his 24th). The Blue Jays have homered in 14 straight road games.

NEEDS MORE SEASONING

Scioscia said there were no plans to promote C Taylor Ward, their No.1 pick in the June draft, from Triple-A when the rosters are expanded on Sept. 1. Only two players in franchise history made their big league debuts the same summer they were selected in the opening round - 1B Danny Goodwin in 1975 (first overall pick) and LHP Brian Anderson in 1993 (third overall).

TRAINER'S ROOM

Blue Jays: C Russell Martin sat out his second straight game because of a sore left hamstring.

UP NEXT:

Blue Jays: LHP Mark Buehrle (13-6) gets the assignment Tuesday night in the opener of a three-game series at Texas.

Angels: Weaver (5-9) will try for his first road win in over three months when he faces Detroit on Tuesday night in the opener of a nine-game trip. He is 0-4 with a 6.12 ERA in his last four starts away from the "Big A" since beating the Blue Jays 4-3 on May 20.