TORONTO (AP) — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit his major league-leading fifth home run, Zack Collins had two hits and an RBI and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Oakland Athletics 4-1 on Friday night.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. reached base three times, scored a run, and drove in a run to help Toronto win its sixth straight against Oakland.
Guerrero hit three home runs in Wednesday’s win over the Yankees, then went 0 for 4 with four strikeouts Thursday in the series finale.
Guerrero was in the lineup at designated hitter for the first time this season and bounced back in the first inning, hammering a 2-2 pitch from Daulton Jefferies 428 feet to right-center.
Guerrero singled in the third and flied out in the fifth. Many in the crowd of 35,415 booed when the Blue Jays slugger was intentionally walked with George Springer at third base in the seventh. Gurriel followed with an RBI double.
With a scoreless ninth, Toronto's Jordan Romano extended his franchise-record streak by converting his 28th consecutive save opportunity. Romano’s run is the longest active saves streak in baseball.
Ross Stripling started for the Blue Jays and allowed two hits, walked none and struck out three in four shutout innings.
Trevor Richards pitched the fifth and Tim Mayza departed after giving up singles to two of the three batters he faced in the sixth. Pinch-hitter Chad Pinder greeted reliever Adam Cimber with an RBI single, but Cimber retired the next two batters to escape the jam.
Cimber (3-0) pitched 1 2/3 innings for the win, Yimi Garcia worked the eighth and Romano finished for his fifth save.
Toronto's Matt Chapman went 0 for 2 with a pair of walks in his first game against his former team. Drafted by Oakland in 2014, the third baseman played 573 games over five seasons with the Athletics.
Jefferies (0-1) allowed two runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out two.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Athletics: Placed OF Stephen Piscotty on the COVID-19 IL and put C Austin Allen, and LHPs A.J. Puk and Kirby Snead on the restricted list. The A’s added LHP Zach Logue, RHP Ryan Castellani, C Christian Bethancourt and INF Drew Jackson as substitute players. ... OF Luis Barrera cleared waivers and was assigned to Triple-A Las Vegas.
Blue Jays: RHP Nate Pearson (mononucleosis) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session at Toronto’s facility in Florida on Saturday, manager Charlie Montoyo said.
UP NEXT
Athletics RHP Paul Blackburn (1-0, 0.00) faces Blue Jays LHP Hyun Jin Ryu (0-0, 16.20) on Saturday. Blackburn is 0-1 with a 3.38 ERA in two career starts in Toronto.
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