Toronto 8, Oakland 4
When: 12:37 PM ET, Thursday, July 27, 2017
Where: Rogers Centre, Toronto, Ontario
Temperature:
67°
Umpires:
Home -
Will Little, 1B -
Jeff Kellogg, 2B -
Tim Timmons, 3B -
James Hoye
Attendance:
47484
By The Sports Xchange
TORONTO -- Steve Pearce knew he hit the ball well. He did not know if it would stay fair as it soared to the left-field seats.
"I definitely had (body) language going on," the Toronto Blue Jays left fielder said.
The ball stayed true, a game-ending grand slam for Pearce on a 3-2 pitch from Liam Hendriks with two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning and the Blue Jays completed a four-game sweep of the Oakland Athletics with an 8-4 victory on Thursday afternoon.
The Blue Jays also won Wednesday night on a game-ending homer in the ninth by Kendrys Morales. It is the first time in franchise history in which the Blue Jays have hit walk-off homers in consecutive games.
"Hopefully we just keep the ball rolling," said Pearce, who has nine homers this season. "We're getting down to the end of the season so we've got to step it up. And this was a great series to get it started."
The Blue Jays overcame the ejections of manager John Gibbons, pitcher Marcus Stroman and catcher Russell Martin during the fifth inning in two separate arguments with home plate umpire Will Little about calls on balls and strikes.
"It happens, part of the game," Pearce said. "We rallied behind everybody, our bullpen came in and did a great job and we found a way to get it done and so it was a great day."
Morales tied the game in the ninth with his second solo homer of the game for the Blue Jays. Josh Donaldson added a solo shot for Toronto.
Toronto closer Roberto Osuna (3-0) pitched a perfect top of the 10th to earn the win.
Hendriks (3-2), a former Blue Jay, walked Miguel Montero with one out in the bottom of the 10th and walked Justin Smoak and Morales with two outs to load the bases for Pearce.
"Velo looked good, (Hendriks) just ended up throwing a lot of pitches and wearing him out, had to throw a strike at 3-2," Athletics manager Bob Melvin said. "We're just having trouble finishing off games."
In the fifth inning, Gibbons was in the dugout when he was ejected after ball two was called on A's batter Bruce Maxwell. Gibbons came out of the dugout to argue before departing with his fourth ejection.
After Maxwell walked -- the career-high sixth of the day by Stroman -- an argument erupted. Stroman stormed from the mound and Martin restrained him as he attempted to get at Little. Stroman was ushered from the field by a coach. Martin left after talking to the umpires.
"It was an emotional game," Blue Jays bench coach DeMarlo Hale said. "There were some balls and strikes that were questionable, but that's part of the game. It got to a point where something was said and it kind of escalated. That's the gist of it, really."
"Both sides probably had some issues today," Melvin said. "Certainly, they took a little more exception. (Little) is a good guy, he works hard. He's a young umpire. It is what it is."
Stroman refused to comment on the incident. He did say that he pitches with emotion and will not change that.
Montero replaced Martin behind the plate and Chris Smith replaced Stroman on the mound.
Stroman allowed six hits and three runs in 4 2/3 innings and did not factor in the decision. The right-hander also struck out four.
Oakland left-hander Sean Manaea allowed seven hits and three runs while striking out seven in seven innings and also did not factor in the decision.
"It kind of stings a little bit," Manaea said. "We had an opportunity to win and just didn't put it together. (Morales) is getting hot right now. He's always been a really good hitter."
The Athletics (44-58) scored three runs on the first inning. Walks to Matt Joyce and Khris Davis and a single by Marcus Semien loaded the bases. Ryon Healy brought home one run on a groundout to shortstop, and Maxwell hit a two-run single.
The Blue Jays (48-54) answered with Donaldson's 10th homer in the bottom of the first and Morales' first home run of the game in the fifth.
A double by Jose Bautista and a single by Smoak tied the game 3-3 in the sixth.
Ryan Tepera allowed a single to Oakland's Jaycob Brugman and issued a walk to pinch hitter Jed Lowrie with one out in the top of the eighth. Semien singled to left with two outs to put Oakland ahead 4-3.
Morales led off the ninth against Blake Treinen with his 20th homer to tie the game 4-4.
NOTES: Oakland RHP Ryan Dull (strained right knee) was reinstated from the disabled list Thursday, and C Josh Phegley (strained left oblique) was put on the 10-day DL. ... The A's selected C Ryan Lavarnway from Triple-A Nashville and RHP John Axford was designated for assignment. ...Toronto OF Anthony Alford (left hamate fracture) was reinstated from the disabled list and optioned to Double-A New Hampshire. ... Blue Jays LHP J.A. Happ (3-7, 4.13 ERA) will oppose Angels RHP Parker Bridwell (4-1, 3.09) in the opener of a three-game series in Toronto on Friday. ... A's RHP Daniel Gossett (2-5, 5.40) faces Twins LHP Jaime Garcia (4-7, 4.30) in the opener of a three-game series on Friday in Oakland.
Top Game Performances
Starting Pitchers
Oakland |
|
Toronto |
Sean Manaea
|
Player |
Marcus Stroman
|
No Decision |
W/L |
No Decision |
7.0 |
IP |
4.2 |
7 |
Strikeouts |
4 |
7 |
Hits |
6 |
3.86 |
ERA |
5.79 |
Team Stats Summary
Team |
Hits |
HR |
TB |
Avg |
LOB |
K |
RBI |
BB |
SB |
Errors |
Oakland
|
9 |
0 |
9 |
.243 |
21 |
9 |
4 |
8 |
0 |
0 |
Toronto
|
10 |
4 |
25 |
.263 |
9 |
11 |
8 |
4 |
0 |
0 |