American League Preview from The Sports Network
Sunday, August 5th
(All times Eastern)
Toronto Blue Jays (52-55) at Oakland Athletics (58-49), 4:05 p.m.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Toronto - Aaron Laffey (2-2, 4.20)
Oakland - Tommy Milone (9-8, 3.68)
(Sports Network) - After a marathon weekend that has included two extra-inning
bouts, the Oakland Athletics will try to close out their four-game series
versus the Toronto Blue Jays with a win Sunday at the Coliseum.
After a 4-1 win on Thursday, Oakland outlasted the Blue Jays in Friday night's
game with a 5-4 walkoff win in 15 innings. The roles were reversed on Saturday
with the teams again needing extra innings to reach a decision.
The Blue Jays tied the score in the ninth inning for the second straight game
when David Cooper hit a solo home run in the top of the inning, but this time
around they were able to capture a 3-1 win in extra innings.
It only took 11 innings but the Blue Jays scored a run on a throwing error by
A's catcher George Kottaras, and Moises Sierra followed that up with an RBI
double to put the Blue Jays ahead for good.
Ricky Romero started the game for Toronto and pitched one of his best games of
the season, allowing just one run over seven innings of work. Unfortunately he
did not factor in the decision. Jesse Chavez pitched a scoreless 10th to get
the win for Toronto and Darren Oliver got his second save after pitching a
perfect 11th.
The Blue Jays' win snaps a lengthy six-game losing streak.
The Athletics had only four hits in the game with their lone run coming on an
RBI double from Derek Norris in the second inning.
"Our offense was a little off today," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "We didn't
get too many hits, but again later in the game we had some opportunities to
score some runs, but we didn't."
Ryan Cook blew Oakland's 1-0 lead in the ninth for his second blow save in as
many days and Jerry Blevins allowed the two winning runs over his two innings
of work to take the loss.
Oakland starter A.J. Griffin left Saturday's game in the second inning with
tightness in his right shoulder.
Tommy Milone makes the start in the series finale on Sunday.
The 25-year-old has been a very reliable starter in just his second season in
the majors. After making five starts as a member of the Washington Nationals
last season, Milone is 9-8 with a 3.68 ERA in 21 starts this season for
Oakland. Along with wins he also leads the team in innings pitched (134 1/3)
and strikeouts (97).
After having a stellar beginning to the season in home starts, Milone had less
command in his last start. The former 10th-round draft pick allowed five runs
on seven hits over six innings of work in an 8-0 loss to Tampa Bay. The
performance brought is ERA at home up from 0.91 to 1.51. The performance was
also the second straight start, the first coming against Toronto, in which
Milone has allowed five or more runs. He allowed five total runs in his
previous six starts.
In the start against Toronto, Milone allowed six runs, five earned, on eight
hits over seven innings of work in a 10-4 loss. It was his first career
appearance against Toronto.
Aaron Laffey will get the nod to start the series finale for Toronto.
The 27-year-old spent the first two months of the season with Triple-A Las
Vegas before being called up in mid-June. Since then he has made 11 total
appearances, seven of which have been starts. In that time he is 2-2 with a
4.20 ERA. He is 2-2 with a 4.46 ERA as a starter with a 3.00 ERA as a reliever
this season.
LAffey's last outing was one to forget. The left-hander allowed seven runs on
nine hits and didn't make it past the fifth inning in a 7-2 loss to Seattle.
The outing pushed his ERA up by almost a run from 3.22 to 4.20.
In the start before that one Laffey made his only appearance of the season
against Oakland. It was a bit better with Laffey allowing four runs on five
hits in 5 2/3 innings of work. He is 1-1 with a 3.10 ERA in seven career
appearances, two of which are starts, against Oakland.
Oakland still holds a 5-3 edge in the season series between these squads.
08/05 10:59:02 ET

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