Hideki Matsui shines as Oakland Athletics rout Toronto Blue Jays 10-3 - MLB Update
Oakland Athletics’ designated hitter, Hideki Matsui had a remarkable day as he went 4-for-6 with an average of .268 and contributed two runs including double RBIs in the Athletics’ 10-3 win against Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre, Toronto on August 11.
First two innings were in favour of pitchers as they threw complicated pitches and restricted the batters by taking runs. During first inning, Cliff Pennington walked but the rest of his team-mates got out as at right-field, Scott Sizemore flied out and
at second base, Matsui lined out. Similarly, Blue Jays’ batters also looked immobilised as at right-field, Edwin Encarnacion flied out while at centre-field Adam Lind and Colby Rasmus both flied out without adding any run.
Athletics got off the mark with a blast as they smashed six runs in third inning to take a 6-0 lead. Pennington doubled to deep left-centre while Sizemore and Adam Rosales both scored two runs collectively. Pennington added third run for Athletics when Matsui
drove a single-run shot towards centre-field.
Matsui and Josh Willingham also completed one run each when Conor Jackson tripled to deep left-field. The sixth run for Athletics was taken by Jackson on wild pitch of Blue Jays’ starter Brad Mills. On the other side, Blue Jays’ batters were able to add
only two runs at the bottom of fourth inning to shorten their lead 6-2. Lind hit a grounder into fielder’s choice to short-stop while Yunel Escobar posted one run on throwing error of Pennington.
Matsui said, “He was right behind me yelling at me, 'Run, Matsui, run!'”
The second run for Blue Jays was taken by Jose Bautista when Encarnacion reached towards third base on an infield single. Athletics’ starter Guillermo Moscoso also shined as he pitched six innings and gave up just two runs, three hits, one earned run and
two walks with an ERA of 3.52. He had six strike-outs on his 97 pitches.
Athletics’ batters stepped on the gas during sixth inning to post further four runs and led off with 10-2. Sizemore, Pennington, Matsui and Willingham each singled to complete a four-run campaign for Athletics. J.P. Arencibia hit a solo homer (416 feet)
towards centre-field to cut the Jays’ deficit 10-3, at the bottom of seventh inning.
However, Athletics won the three-game series 2-1 after a long span.
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