TORONTO (CP) - Corey Koskie didn't get the chance to be the offensive hero on Wednesday, but his defence stole the show.
Russ Adams scored the winning run on a bases-loaded wild pitch in the 10th inning as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 3-2 before 18,998 at Rogers Centre.
''I was just sitting over there, confident that Corey was going to get it done and then all of a sudden the ball bounces past the catcher,'' Adams said.
''I hesitated for a split second, just to make sure, but it kicked far enough away from him that I had to go ahead and go.''
Adams opened the tenth with a single off Brendan Donnelly (6-3) and moved to second on Frank Catalanotto's sacrifice bunt. Vernon Wells was walked intentionally to bring up rookie Aaron Hill, who snapped an 0-18 skid with an infield single.
With Koskie batting, the Angels brought centre-fielder Steve Finley into the infield, but Donnelly's first pitch skipped away from catcher Bengie Molina, allowing Adams to race home from third.
''I was thinking a little jam shot will score it,'' said Koskie, of Anola, Man., who returned to the team Tuesday after a 58-game injury absence. ''I've been getting jammed quite a lot lately. I figure that's my strength right now.
''Out of the corner of my eye, as soon as the ball went down, (Adams) was already breaking. He did a real good job of base-running right there.''
Koskie had already made his mark in the top of the tenth with a spectacular diving catch in foul territory down the left field line to retire Chone Figgins.
''I don't know what it looks like on the replay but from my perspective, that was one of the best plays I've ever seen,'' Adams said. ''That's momentum and we kind of fed off that, I believe.''
Buoyed by Koskie's catch, which left him with multiple scrapes on his left forearm, the Blue Jays escaped a two-out, bases-loaded jam in the 10th. Molina worked the count full against closer Miguel Batista and fouled off one pitch before bouncing back to the mound.
Batista (5-3) worked two innings for the victory.
A defensive miscue by Eric Hinske allowed Vladimir Guerrero to open the scoring in the first inning. Starting at designated hitter because of a sore left calf, Guerrero popped the first pitch he saw into foul territory, but the ball hit off Hinske's glove for an error.
Five pitches later, Guerrero lined a home run into the Angels' bullpen in right, his 19th.
Still, Toronto's defence prevented more chances than it created. Catalanotto ended the fourth inning with a fine running catch in left and Vernon Wells retired Garret Anderson by sliding to catch a sinking liner in the sixth.
Starter Josh Towers even got in on the act, helping to turn a 3-6-1 double play that left the Angels empty-handed after putting two men on in the fifth.
''It was a great baseball game,'' said Towers. ''Our defence stepped up tremendously.''
The Blue Jays tied the game in the second when Gregg Zaun drew a two-out walk, went to third on Hinske's single and scored on a bloop single by Alex Rios.
The Angels went back on top in the third. Adam Kennedy doubled to right-centre and scored on a two-out single by Darin Erstad.
Toronto tied the game in the fifth. Wells tripled over the head of Jeff DaVanon in right and came home when Koskie stroked a single inside the first-base line, just out of the reach of a diving Erstad.
Towers left after giving up a single to Cabrera and walking Kennedy with two out in the seventh. Lefty Scott Schoeneweis came on and struck out Figgins to end the threat.
Towers allowed two runs, one earned, on six hits. He struck out two and walked one. The Angels threatened again in the eighth, putting runners at first and third with one out, but Jason Frasor struck out Steve Finley and got Molina to bounce into a force-out.
Angels starter Bartolo Colon worked seven innings, allowing two runs on seven hits, walking two and striking out five.
Notes: Pitcher Ted Lilly (biceps tendinitis) did not throw as scheduled before the game. Blue Jays manager John Gibbons hinted that Lilly may have to go on the disabled list. ... Toronto GM J.P. Ricciardi said Dustin McGowan was among the candidates to start in Lilly's place against Texas on Saturday. A former first-round draft pick who underwent Tommy John surgery in May 2004, McGowan is currently pitching for Toronto's double-A affiliate in New Hampshire. ... Shea Hillenbrand celebrated his 30th birthday on Wednesday.