(Oakland) Pin-hitter Santiago Espinal hit a tie-breaking double in the 10th off Francisco Perez’s first pitch and the Toronto Blue Jays scored three runs in the extra inning to defeat the Athletics of Oakland 6-5, Monday.
The Athletics made things interesting when Lawrence Butler hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the 10th inning off eventual game-winning pitcher Jordan Romano (5-5).
Cavan Biggio added a one-run single in the 10th for the Blue Jays, who are 3-1 so far on this six-game trip to the American West Coast. This strike drove Perez (1-2) out of the game. Spencer Horwitz was behind the visitors’ last point with a double.
The Athletics’ three-game winning streak has come to an end. They are 7-23 this year against teams in the American East Division. The Californian team has not won more than three games in a row in front of its fans since its five consecutive victories, from August 4 to August 20, 2021.
Esteury Ruiz stole his 55th and 56 in the ninth – an American high – but the Athletics were unable to push him to the plate to score what would have been the game-winning run.
Jordan Diaz tied the game in the seventh with a home run off Yimi Garcia after Blue Jays starter Jose Berrios left the mound.
Berrios struck out seven in six innings, but it wasn’t enough to earn the win. He hasn’t won in nearly a month, the last being on Aug. 5 against the Boston Red Sox. He has claimed an 0-3 record since.
A ground ball from Kevin Kiermaier in fifth put the first point on the board. George Springer then hit a solo homer, then Biggio added another run with a single.
Butler hit a long ball in the fifth, as did Ryan Noda in the next inning.
Coming back from an injury that has kept him sidelined since August 12, Luis Medina was on the mound to start the game.
The right-hander got out of a complicated situation in the fourth. He walked Vladimir Guerrero Jr. before hitting Horwitz with a pitch, but then forced Whit Merrifield into a double play to end the inning.
Chris Bassitt (13-7) is expected to be the Blue Jays’ starting pitcher against his former team on Tuesday. He should be opposed to Chris Bassitt (13-7).
