The Oakland Athletics hosted the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday afternoon in the second game of a short two-game series. Less than 24 hours after Brandon Inge launched a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the ninth to stretch Oakland's win streak to three games, the hometown team was able to keep the hot streak going. They faltered and allowed three home runs in a 5-2 defeat to finish with a series split.
Oakland starter Tyson Ross started strong and there was no score in the game until the top of the fourth inning, when Adam Lind launched a two-run, two-out home run to right-center field to put the Blue Jays on top, 2-0. Toronto would not surrender the lead for the remainder of the game.
The A's cut the lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the fifth inning on a Jonny Gomes RBI single, but the Jays got that run right back in the top of the sixth, when Colby Rasmus hit a two-out single to drive in Brett Lawrie.
J.P. Arencibia led off the top of the seventh inning with a solo home run to push the lead to 4-1, but the A's answered back with a Josh Reddick RBI single in the bottom of the frame. The Blue Jays weren't done playing long ball, as Edwin Encarnacion snapped a dry spell with a solo shot in the top of the eighth to tack on an insurance run. Oakland would go meekly the rest of the way.
Ross ended up surrendering three earned runs in 5.2 innings pitched. Toronto starter Brandon Morrow was much more effective, surrendering just one run in six innings, walking for but striking out 10 Oakland batters. Jemile Weeks and Inge both had two-hit games, but both players are still batting under .200 for the season.
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