Jul 17, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson (20) hits a two run double against the Oakland Athletics during the ninth inning at O.co Coliseum. The Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Oakland Athletics 5-3. Photo Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
OAKLAND — Josh Donaldson lined a two-run, tiebreaking double with two outs in the top of the ninth inning, and the Toronto Blue Jays held on for a 5-3 victory against the Oakland A’s on Sunday afternoon at the Oakland Coliseum.
Justin Smoak reached safely on an infield single with one out against A’s reliever John Axford in the ninth. Junior Lake lined a single to center, moving pinch runner Andy Burns to second. Then with two outs, Axford fell behind 2-1 in the count to Donaldson, and the former Athletic hammered his 96-mph fastball down the left field line.
After losing the first two in the three-game series, Toronto avoided a sweep.
Donaldson, the reigning American League MVP, went 2-for-5 and scored a run. He was traded by Oakland to Toronto after the 2014 season.
Roberto Osuna pitched a perfect ninth inning for his 19th save.
Toronto’s Troy Tulowitzki hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning, his 16th blast of the season. Russell Martin went 2-for-3 with a double and a walk and scored a run.
Marcus Semien hit his 20th home run of the season for the A’s, a solo shot in the sixth inning. He became the fifth shortstop in A’s history to hit at least 20 homers in a season. Yonder Alsono had a pinch hit, two-run double in the sixth.
Blue Jays right-hander Jason Grilli (4-3) pitched a perfect eighth inning for the victory.
Axford (3-3) allowed two runs on two hits and took the loss.
Blue Jays left-hander J.A. Happ, seeking his career-high 13th single-season victory, gave up three runs on five hits over 5 2/3 innings and got a no-decision. He struck out five, walked one and was hit by two line drives.
Jake Smolinski lined an infield single off of Happ’s left forearm, just above the wrist, in the fifth. Then in the sixth, Josh Reddick hit a shot off Happ’s backside but was thrown out.
A’s left-hander Rich Hill lasted five pitches before exiting with a full count to leadoff hitter Devon Travis after aggravating a blister on his middle finger on his left hand. Hill developed a blister in his previous start on July 8 at Houston. His scheduled start Friday was pushed back two days.
Hill, who is 9-3 with a 2.25 ERA, has attracted widespread interest approaching the Aug. 1 non-waiver MLB trade deadline. There were numerous scouts from major league teams at the Coliseum to watch him pitch.
Andrew Triggs relieved Hill and retired Travis. But Donaldson lined an infield single off Triggs’ left calf. Triggs stayed in the game and gave up a hard single to Edwin Encarnacion with Donaldson scoring as the ball got past left fielder Khris Davis for an error. After getting the final two outs, Triggs left the game with a left calf contusion.
A’s left-hander Sean Manaea, who had been scheduled to start Tuesday against Houston, took over in the second. He gave up two runs on three hits over five innings, striking out four and walking none.
Toronto extended its lead to 3-0 in the fourth when Martin lined a leadoff double to right-center and Tulowitzki launched a two-run shot to center field with one out. Manaea got ahead 0-2 in the count, but he left his 93-mph fastball high, and Tulowitzki crushed it.
The A’s pulled even with three run in the sixth. Semien launched a leadoff homer off Happ. With one out, Danny Valencia singled, and Happ walked Davis, his final batter. Alsono greeted former A’s right-hander Jesse Chavez with a two-run double to left-center.
NOTES: Oakland acquired minor league LHP Ross Detwiler from Cleveland for cash and assigned him to Triple-A Nashville. Detwiler is 21-37 with a 4.21 ERA in 180 career major league appearances, including 76 starts. He was 2-4 with a 4.60 ERA for Triple-A Columbus this year. … Athletics INF/OF Danny Valencia made his eighth career start at first base and his first since April 9, 2015, with Toronto. Valencia lost his starting job at third to rookie Ryon Healy. … Toronto OF Junior Lake made his sixth start of the season, playing right field against the A’s. It marked his first start since July 9. … Blue Jays LHP Franklin Morales (left shoulder fatigue) spent his 27th day on a rehab assignment Sunday, three shy of the maximum allowed for a pitcher. The Blue Jays will have to make a roster decision next week on Morales, who is on the 60-day disabled list.
