Oakland Athletics defeat Toronto Blue Jays 5-1 – MLB Update
The Oakland Athletics overcame the Toronto Blue Jays 5-1 helped by a three-run eighth inning at O.co Coliseum in Oakland, California on Saturday, August 20.
The game started impressively with both teams adding a run each in the first inning. Gio Gonzalez, however, was quick to find his feet on the mound for the Athletics and did not allow a scoring opportunity after the first inning to the Blue Jays.
Gonzalez threw 100 pitches over eight mesmerising-innings and struck-out nine batters in the process. He gave away just a sole run amid four hits to bring down his season’s earned-run average to an impressive 3.24. Toronto, famous for their strong batting
line-up, failed to tackle Gonzalez who won his tenth game of the season with 11 losses looming his win-loss tally.
Andrew Bailey replaced Gonzalez to close the game for the A’s and he too followed suit, pitching a perfect ninth inning.
Henderson Alvarez could not make his presence count for the Blue Jays as the starter leaked two runs and seven hits in his six innings for his first loss this season. Toronto’s bull-pen seemed dreary as none of the three pitchers used proved fruitful.
The Athletics registered a one-run lead over the Blue Jays in the fourth inning when first baseman Brandon Allen scored for the home team. The A’s extended their lead in the eighth inning when Allen scored his second run of the game helped by Ryan Sweeney’s
single to the left before pinch hitter Josh Willingham smashed a two-run home-run in the eighth inning, allowing Sweeney to complete his run.
Willingham came in as pinch hitter for David DeJesus and the decision proved to be rewarding as he hammered a homer on his first at-bat. His homer took the A’s to a four-run lead which was never to be achieved by the Blue Jays.
Toronto suffered a blow just before the start of the game when star-hitter Jose Bautista was scratched from the starting line-up just before the start of play due to neck stiffness. The team would ideally want him to return to the line-up before the fourth
game of the four-game series on Sunday, August 21 in an attempt to level the series 2-2.
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