Blue Jays annihilate A's to complete sweep, work way back into playoff mix

Robbie Ray struck out 10 while pitching one-hit ball into the seventh inning, Marcus Semien hit his 35th home run and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Oakland Athletics 8-0 Sunday to complete a three-game sweep.

Winners of seven of eight, the Blue Jays (73-62) are a season-best 11 games above .500. Toronto's 13 shutouts are most in the AL.

Ray (11-5) reached double digits in strikeouts for the fourth straight start, the first Blue Jays pitcher to achieve the feat. The only hit he allowed in 6 2-3 innings was a one-out double by Khris Davis in the fifth.

Ray's 2.60 ERA is tops among AL pitchers.

The left-handed Ray has 212 strikeouts this season, second to New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole (215) in the majors.

"The fastball was really good today," Ray said. "I had command of it on both sides of the plate. I felt like it had an extra gear to it today. I leaned heavy on that."

Both Ray and Cole have nine double-digit strikeout games, tied for the big league lead.

Ray had victories in back-to-back starts for the first time since winning at Tampa Bay on July 11 and beating Texas on July 16.

The playoff-contending A's have lost 14 of 20 after winning 12 of the previous 15. Still, Oakland manager Bob Melvin expects his team to bounce back.

'Best part of our season is yet to come'

"I think the best part of our season is yet to come," Melvin said. "I think we're going to get home and we're going to play our best stretch of baseball."

Oakland's Starling Marte returned to the lineup in center field after sitting out Saturday, one day after he was hit on the helmet by a fastball from Toronto rookie right-hander Alek Manoah. Marte went 0 for 4.

Blue Jays center fielder Randal Grichuk made an incredible defensive play in the first, a running catch on Marte's liner to left-centre. Even Marte gestured in approval of Grichuk's great grab on his way back to the dugout.

"I almost fell on the mound, I was so excited," Ray said. "That was an amazing catch."

Semien hit a solo home run in the third against his former team. Four batters later, Kirk hit a three-run drive off Cole Irvin (9-13).

"They got on him early," Melvin said. "They got some pitches in the middle of the plate and they hit them hard."

In allowing two home runs, Oakland pitchers ended a five-game streak in which they had allowed at least three homers per game.

Trainer's room

Athletics: Manager Bob Melvin said right-hander Chris Bassitt (right facial fracture) is "progressing the way you would want" in his recovery and could soon resume throwing. Bassitt was struck on the side of the head by a line drive in an Aug. 17 loss to the Chicago White Sox. Bassitt is 12-3 with a 3.06 ERA in 24 starts.

Up next

Blue Jays: LHP Hyun Jin Ryu (12-8, 3.92) starts in the Bronx on Monday at 1:05 p.m. ET as the Blue Jays begin another pivotal wild card series, this time against the New York Yankees. Canada's Jameson Taillon (8-5, 4.44) starts for the Yankees.

Athletics: Oakland returns home for a three-game series against the White Sox that begins Tuesday. James Kaprielian (7-4, 3.87) starts for the Athletics. Chicago has not named a starter.

Bring It In: Discussing mandatory vaccine passports as fans return to stadiums:

Discussing mandatory vaccine passports as fans return to stadiums | Bring It In

3 years ago

Duration 7:44

With fans returning to stadiums across Canada, host Morgan Campbell discusses the enforcement of mandatory vaccination in stadiums across the country with panellists Meghan McPeak and Dave Zirin.