Blue Jays avoid the sweep, defeat the A’s 7-5 in extras

Surprisingly enough, the Blue Jays have not been swept in a three-game series this season. Toronto was looking to avoid the sweep in the hands of the Oakland Athletics.

It would have been an easy series if the Toronto Blue Jays scored more runs but they made up for it with a 7-5 victory against the Oakland Athletics.

Francisco Liriano was looking for his 100th career win. Unfortunately, he will have to wait until his next start as Liriano’s pitching line was 5IP/6H/4R,3ER/1BB, 5K.

His counterpart, Jharel Cotton, threw 104 pitches in six innings, four hits on four earned runs, four breaking balls, and four strikeouts.

The Blue Jays bullpen did their part when Danny Barnes, Joe Smith, and Ryan Tepera retired 12 straight batters. Roberto Osuna earned his 14th save of the season.

Tepera (4-1) was credited with the victory and Frankie Montas (1-1) was credited with the loss.

Justin Smoak and Kevin Pillar each hit a home run in the top of the second. Pillar hit his eighth home run of the season, which was one more than he hit last season, and Smoak hit his 16th as that puts him four shy of tying his career high. The Blue Jays were up 4-1.

Oakland got on the board after Khris Davis hit a RBI double in the first, then grounded into the fielder’s choice to score Rajai Davis on both occasions. The A’s trailed 4-2.

More from Toronto Blue Jays News

• Matt Chapman has been exactly what the Blue Jays needed
• Blue Jays: The goalposts are moving in the right direction
• Single-A Dunedin Blue Jays advance to the Championship Series
• Blue Jays: Comparisons for Alek Manoah’s Second Season
• Blue Jays: Adam Cimber, the unlikely decision King

Trevor Plouffe would cut the lead in half when he hit his fourth home run off of Liriano in eight career at-bats against the lefty. Chad Pinder would score Rajai in the bottom of the fifth to tie it up 4-4.

Rajai would score four of five of Oakland’s runs as he went four-for-five against his former club.

In extra innings, Josh Donaldson hammered a two-run home run along with Smoak, who went deep for his second home run of the game. That gave the Blue Jays a 7-4 lead in the 10th.

Smoak went three-for-five with two home runs, nd two RBI.

Oakland attempted to push for a comeback but pinch-hitter Matt Joyce hit a RBI single to score Rajai. The A’s couldn’t pull off the sweep to the Blue Jays, who are now 3-5 in extra-inning games this season.

Next: Blue Jays: Can Carrera be trusted on defence?

The Blue Jays will have to regroup with tomorrow’s day off before they start a three-game series against the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field. Joe Biagini (1-4, 3.31 ERA) will go up against Sam Gaviglio (2-1, 3.13 ERA) at 10:10 p.m. ET.