Oakland, CA (Sports Network) - Bartolo Colon spun eight scoreless innings on
Thursday as the Oakland Athletics downed the Toronto Blue Jays, 4-1, in the
opener of a four-game set Thursday at the Coliseum.
Colon (8-8) scattered seven hits and walked just one while striking out three
to earn his second straight victory. Sean Doolittle surrendered a pair of hits
in the ninth before Ryan Cook came on to nail down his 11th save of the year.
Josh Reddick crushed a two-run homer, while Seth Smith and Brandon Inge each
knocked in a run to help snap Oakland's brief two-game skid.
Henderson Alvarez (7-8) surrendered three runs on four hits and five walks to
earn the loss. Pinch-hitter Moises Sierra plated Toronto's lone run with an
RBI groundout as the Blue Jays dropped their fifth straight game.
The A's struck first in the bottom of the third as Eric Sogard singled to
start the frame before moving to second on a wild pitch. Coco Crisp's line out
then moved Sogard to third before a base hit from Smith plated Sogard for a
1-0 advantage.
Reddick, who snapped a career-high 0-for-21 streak with a single in the first,
then drove a fastball over the wall into the seats in right-center field to
give the A's a 3-0 lead.
In the seventh, Chris Carter and Yoenis Cespedes walked before Brandon Moss
singled to load the bases with one out. Inge then followed with a base hit to
left to plate Carter and provide the A's with an insurance run.
Colon was done after eight strong frames and Doolittle entered from the
bullpen for the ninth.
David Cooper served his fourth offering into center for a double before Rajai
Davis' single put men on the corners. After Yan Gomes fanned, Cook took over
on the mound and induced Sierra's RBI groundout.
Brett Lawrie followed with a single, but Cook grounded out Colby Rasmus to end
the game.
GAME NOTES:
Colon has faced the Jays 24 times and is now 10-5...Smith left the game with a
strained left hamstring...Oakland went 3-for-13 with runners in scoring
position and left 11 on base...Toronto finished 1-for-6 with runners in
scoring position and stranded 10.
The Sports Network