Cristian Pache hit a two-run home run in the top of the ninth inning and the visiting Oakland Athletics defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 7-5 Saturday afternoon.
Pache's first home run of the season followed a one-out single by Christian Bethancourt against Julian Merryweather (0-2).
Lou Trivino pitched around a leadoff walk in the bottom of the ninth with three strikeouts for his second save of the season.
Sean Murphy also hit a two-run homer for Oakland as the teams have split the first two games of a three-game series.
Former Athletics third baseman Matt Chapman hit a two-run blast for Toronto. Zack Collins added a solo shot.
Toronto starter Hyun Jin Ryu allowed five runs and six hits in four innings, with one strikeout and no walks. Oakland starter Paul Blackburn fared better, allowing two runs and five hits in five innings, striking out three without a base on balls.
The Blue Jays scored a first-inning run. Raimel Tapia led off with a double, took third on Bo Bichette's groundout, and slid home safely on Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s fielder's choice grounder to third.
Oakland scored three runs in the second to grab the lead. Murphy doubled, Sheldon Neuse hit an RBI single, then Kevin Smith and Bethancourt delivered RBI doubles.
Murphy's second homer of the season followed Jed Lowrie's one-out single in the third inning, giving Oakland a 5-1 lead.
Toronto scored once in the bottom of the fourth on an infield hit by Lourdes Gurriel Jr. followed by singles by Chapman and Collins.
Trent Thornton replaced Ryu in the fifth and allowed one hit in two innings.
Domingo Acevedo replaced Blackburn in the sixth and allowed a two-out single to Gurriel, then back-to-back homers by Chapman (second of season) and Collins (his first). Acevedo allowed two more singles before Justin Grimm replaced him.
Oakland's Dany Jimenez (1-0) caught Gurriel looking at a third strike to start the bottom of the eighth. Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo was ejected by home plate umpire Jeff Nelson for arguing. Jimenez also struck out the next two batters.
--Field Level Media
Oakland | Toronto | |
Paul Blackburn | Player | Hyun Jin Ryu |
No Decision | W/L | No Decision |
5.0 | IP | 4.0 |
3 | Strikeouts | 1 |
5 | Hits | 6 |
3.60 | ERA | 11.25 |
Oakland | Toronto | |
Sean Murphy | Player | Zack Collins |
2 | Hits | 3 |
2 | RBI | 2 |
1 | HR | 1 |
6 | TB | 6 |
.500 | Avg | .750 |