Another W. Unlike the other games in the series they had to sweat this one out a bit, mounting a late comeback after trailing from the jump.
They secure a four game sweep of the typically woeful A’s with the victory. More importantly, they move three games above .500 for the first time since April 19 and (pending the Astros finishing off a win over the Rays) sole possession of second place in the East, one game out of a wildcard spot.
The team not officially from Sacramento, don’t say we’re from Sacramento, jumped out to a quick one run lead in the first. A lead off walk and a single put men on the corners, and a ground out brought lead runner Lawrence Butler home. Kevin Gausman wasn’t quite sharp but avoided further damage over the next couple of innings. In the second a ground out and a K wiped out a pair of singles, and he stranded another singe and a walk in the third. The fourth was an improvement, as he allowed only a soft ground ball single.
He got into a more serious jam in the fifth. Jacob Wilson and Brent Rooker each singled and then advanced on a sac bunt to put two in scoring position with one out. Addison Barger was able to get Wilson in a rundown on a chopper to third for the second out. It wasn’t enough though, as Luis Urias doubled on a liner to left that scored both runners, increasing the A’s margin to 3. That knocked Gausman out of the game. He gave up three on eight hits and two walks over 4.2 innings, striking out seven. It was typical bad Kevin, still getting his Ks but bot getting some borderline calls and getting hit too hard. Mason Fluharty took over and got a ground out to end the inning.
Meanwhile, the offence looked like their road trip selves early. Vladimir Guerrero jr. doubled off J.P. Sears in the first, and they managed a hit in each of the next three innings, but none of it went anywhere.
Finally, in the fifth, the bats got going. Myles Straw lead off with a single. The next two batters flew out, but Vlad was hit by a pitch, George Springer lined a single, and Alejandro Kirk doubled down the left field line. Springer was thrown out going to third on Kirk’s hit, but two runners scored to cut the deficit to 3-2.
Fluharty returned to record a 1-2-3 inning with a pair of K’s in the sixth. Mitch Spence relieved Sears in the bottom half and sat the Jays down in order.
Chad Green got the seventh. The first two A’s reached on infield singles, one to a diving Davis Schneider and one on a very soft tapper back to the mound that Green bobbled. He K’d the next two, walked the bases loaded, and got a pop up to escape.
After Spence worked around a Jonatan Clase bunt single in the home half, the A’s manufactured one more run in the eighth. Erik Swanson gave up a soft fly single and hit a batter. A double steal advanced the runners, and a sac fly brought one home to make it 4-2.
Facing Justin Sterner, George Springer reached on catcher’s interference and Alejandro Kirk singled. They pinch ran for Kirk with Alan Roden, but it was unnecessary. Addison Barger smoked a line drive 412 feet to right centre to jump Toronto in front 5-4. Ernie Clement followed with a double, forcing the A’s to call in Grant Holman to take over on the mound. He walked Davis Schneider and then allowed Clement to advance to third by throwing a pickoff throw into centre field. Nathan Lukes grounded a single to right to score Clement and increase the margin to two. Clase struck out on a foul bunt (…sure) and Bichette flew out, but Vlad hit his second solid double of the afternoon to plate both runners and make it 8-4.
Jeff Hoffman came on for what was no longer a save opportunity. He K’d two and got a pop up to seal the sweep.
Jays of the Day: Barger (0.413), Kirk (0.121), Springer 0.107)
Not so much: Gausman (-0.114, some hard luck)
Can’t play the A’s all year, unfortunately. Tomorrow is an off day, but we’ll be back at 7:07 ET on Tuesday night. The Phillies are coming to town for a three game set. Zack Wheeler (6-2, 2.96) will face Bowden Francis (2-6, 5.04) in the opener.