TORONTO (AP) — Cristian Pache hit a go-ahead home run in the ninth inning, Sean Murphy also connected and the Oakland Athletics beat Toronto 7-5 on Saturday, snapping a six-game losing streak against the Blue Jays.
Facing Julian Merryweather (0-2), Pache hammered a 1-0 pitch into the right field bullpen for his first home run of the season and second of his career.
Pache was acquired from Atlanta last month in the deal that sent slugger Matt Olson to the Braves.
Oakland right-hander Dany Jiménez (1-0) worked one inning for the win and Lou Trivino pitched around a leadoff walk in the ninth to earn his second save in three opportunities.
Toronto’s Matt Chapman and Zack Collins homered on consecutive pitches from Athletics right-hander Domingo Acevedo in the sixth as the Blue Jays erased a 5-2 deficit. Chapman’s two-run homer was his second of the season, while Collins connected for the first time.
The Athletics used two walks and a double steal to put runners at second and third with one out in the eighth, but Yimi Garcia struck out Murphy looking and got pinch hitter Tony Kemp to line out.
Oakland used four straight hits off Hyun Jin Ryu to take a 3-1 lead in the second, with Sheldon Neuse, Kevin Smith, and Christian Bethancourt all driving in runs.
Murphy, who doubled and scored in the second, made it 5-1 with a two-run homer into the center field party deck in the third, his second. Murphy’s blast was measured at 452 feet.
Ryu allowed five runs and six hits, including four extra-base hits, in four innings.
Collins cut it to 5-2 with an RBI single off Paul Blackburn in the fourth before the Blue Jays tied it with a three-run rally off Acevedo.
Blackburn allowed two runs and five hits in five innings.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Athletics: RHP James Kaprielian (shoulder) allowed two runs and three hits, including two solo home runs, in five innings to get the win for Class-A Stockton Friday. Kaprielian struck out six and walked none.
Blue Jays: LHP Ryan Borucki (right hamstring) is expected to rejoin the team to continue his rehab. Borucki had been at Toronto’s facility in Florida.
GOLDEN MOMENT
Before the game, A’s manager Mark Kotsay and first base coach Eric Martins presented Matt Chapman with his 2021 Gold Glove award. Martins coached Oakland’s infielders last season
TOSSED!
Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo was ejected for arguing ball and strike calls with home plate umpire Jeff Nelson in the eighth after Gurriel was called out on an outside pitch to begin the inning.
UP NEXT
Athletics RHP Adam Oller (0-0, 33.75) faces Blue Jays RHP Alek Manoah (1-0, 0.00) in Sunday’s series finale. Oller is making his second career start. Manoah faced Oakland last September 3, allowing a season-worst six earned runs in five innings.
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