The Athletics faced the Toronto Blue Jays in the second game of their three-game series. The Green and Gold mustered only a pair of solo home runs against Blue Jays starter José Soriano, whose gem carried the visitors to a series-evening 4-2 victory.
A’s Waste Early Scoring Chance
A’s center fielder Henry Bolte led off the bottom of the first inning with an infield single, making it six straight at-bats reaching base. Zack Gelof walked to give the hosts two runners on with one out. The A’s failed to capitalize on that early scoring
opportunity, as Soriano retired the next two hitters.
Blue Jays Strike First
After turning in a scoreless first inning, A’s starter Jack Perkins did not fare as well in the second inning. Blue Jays left fielder Josh Smith led off the frame with his sixth home run of the season, a solo shot to right field. The next batter, third baseman Kazuma Okamoto, made it back-t0-back home runs with his 30th long ball of his rookie season.
Those two consecutive home runs bring the A’s pitching staff total to 217 home runs allowed, second-most in MLB.
In the top of the third, Athletics shortstop Alika Williams and center fielder Henry Bolte made nice defensive plays to help Perkins bounce back with a scoreless inning. Meanwhile, the A’s offense could not figure out Soriano, who completed three scoreless innings to begin the game.
A’s Answer Back
The A’s got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth inning. With two outs, left fielder Carlos Cortes cut his team’s deficit in half with his ninth home run of the season, a solo shot to right field.
Perkins kept the momentum on the hosts’ side by turning in a scoreless fifth inning, his third straight clean frame.
Blue Jays Add On
Perkins’ night ended after he allowed two straight singles to open the sixth inning. He allowed four runs on seven hits over five innings. The right-hander struck out three, and most importantly, walked none in a much-improved performance from his previous outing.
Right-hander Chris Roycroft entered from the A’s bullpen and failed to strand the inherited runners. The first batter he faced, Toronto catcher Alejandro Kirk, hit an RBI single, extending the visitors’ lead to 3-1. The Blue Jays plated a fourth run when Smith grounded into a double play with runners on the corners.
A’s No Match for Soriano
Seeking to comeback, Bolte and Jeff McNeil led off the bottom of the sixth with singles against Soriano. For a second time tonight, Soriano escaped a jam unscathed, inducing ground balls to maintain Toronto’s three-run advantage. Lawrence Butler failed to come through with a runner in scoring position for a second time this evening.
A’s Inch Closer
After Roycroft escaped a runner-on-third, one-out situation in the top of the seventh inning, A’s second baseman Donovan Walton made it a 4-2 game with his sixth home run of the season, a solo shot to right field.
Soriano allowed just the two solo home runs on six hits over seven innings, striking out three while recording an astounding 15 groundball outs.
Right-hander Geoff Hartlieb tossed two scoreless innings to close out the game, keeping the hosts within striking distance. Unfortunately, the Athletics did not possess late inning magic for a second consecutive night. Blue Jays right-hander Spencer Miles shut the hosts down over the final two innings, securing his second save of the season and forcing a series rubber match tomorrow afternoon.
The A’s have southpaw Brady Basso lined up as the opener tomorrow, while the Blue Jays have yet to announce their starter for the series finale.
