Alejandro Kirk and Nathan Lukes each drove in two runs during a six-run fifth inning and Max Scherzer picked up his first win of the season as the Toronto Blue Jays held on for a 7-6 victory over the Athletics on Friday night at West Sacramento, Calif.
Kirk, Lukes, Bo Bichette, Will Wagner and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. each had two hits as Toronto won for the 11th time in its past 12 games to remain two games ahead of the New York Yankees in the American League East. Guerrero’s first hit was the 1,000th of his career.
Scherzer (1-0) took a shutout into the sixth inning before serving up a two-run homer to Nick Kurtz and a solo shot to Tyler Soderstrom. He allowed three runs, five hits and one walk and struck out a season-best eight in his fifth start of the season.
Max Muncy also homered for the Athletics, his coming off Jeff Hoffman with one out in the ninth inning. Zack Gelof followed with a walk and Denzel Clarke singled. Gelof then scored on a two-out wild pitch to pull the A’s within 7-5 before Brent Rooker recorded an RBI single.
Hoffman then fanned Kurtz to end the contest.
Kurtz, Muncy, Rooker and Soderstrom each had two hits for the Athletics, who fell to 0-5 against the Blue Jays this season.
Luis Severino (2-11) gave up five runs – though just one earned — and seven hits over 4 2/3 innings. He struck out eight and walked two while dropping to 0-9 in 12 home starts.
A’s All-Star shortstop Jacob Wilson (left hand contusion) missed his third straight game.
The Blue Jays manufactured a run in the fourth inning and another during their fifth-inning uprising.
Bichette doubled to start the fourth and Kirk drew a one-out walk before Severino hit Wagner with a pitch to load the bases. Ernie Clement followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 1-0.
In the fifth, Toronto sent 11 batters to the plate.
George Springer reached on a one-out throwing error by Gelof and Guerrero delivered a single for the milestone hit.
With two out, the Blue Jays called for a double steal. Shea Langeliers threw to second and shortstop Muncy caught the ball in front of the bag and threw home. Muncy one-hopped the throw and Langeliers wasn’t able to glove it as Springer scored.
Addison Barger followed with a single and then stole second. Kirk then sent a two-run single to center to make it 4-0.
Jack Perkins replaced Severino and hit Wagner with a pitch and walked Clement to load the bases. Myles Straw then singled to right to knock in Kirk.
Lukes followed with a hard-shot grounder that took a bad hop and slammed into the right shoulder of Kurtz at first. Wagner and Clement scored to make it 7-0.
–Field Level Media
