Hitters left frustrated as Blue Jays suffer 2nd straight loss to Athletics
Toronto offence manages just 1 run on 3 hits in defeat to Oakland
Cole Irvin stepped into Oakland's rotation when experienced starter Mike Fiers went down, determined to prove he could more than handle such responsibility — Fiers has pitched a pair of no-hitters, after all.
"He's not a seat warmer anymore," manager Bob Melvin said. "He's been consistent the entire season. In a day we're down some guys in the bullpen, eight innings, I either fell asleep or had a lot of confidence in him — one or the other. Probably the latter."
Mitch Moreland hit a two-run homer on the heels of Jed Lowrie's two-run double in the second to back Irvin's gem.
Even as he makes strides, the 27-year-old Irvin insists he will carry a chip on his shoulder.
"It's still there. It's not going to leave me," Irvin said. "I've found something that works for me. I'm going to continue to do it as much as I can and pitch with that mindset of knowing that there's someone out there that doesn't think I should be in a big league uniform."
He allowed three hits and one walk, throwing 102 pitches.
"That guy's got good numbers. He's been doing that against a lot of teams," Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said. "It's all about making adjustments and we didn't do that today."
Yusmeiro Petit finished the 2-hour, 18-minute game for his seventh career save and first since 2017 with the Los Angeles Angels. Petit has a 10-game, 12-inning scoreless streak and hasn't allowed a run in 13 of his last 14 appearances.
The A's improved to an AL-best 19-12, second in the majors only to the Bay Area rival San Francisco Giants, and matched their season high of seven games over .500.
Marcus Semien, the ex-A's shortstop still drawing cheers from his former home crowd, hit an RBI double for Toronto in the sixth.
Oakland faced a left-handed starter for the third straight game, fifth in six and eighth in the last 11 overall, and will see another one Wednesday in Toronto's Robbie Ray.
The A's chased Anthony Kay (0-2) after four innings of his first start against an AL West opponent. Kay permitted four runs and four hits.
The Blue Jays had yet to announce their starter for Thursday's series finale.
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