Blue Jays Edge A's 6-5 To Split Series
OAKLAND (CBS/AP) — Edwin Encarnacion hit a home run and drove in two runs, Yunel Escobar also drove in two runs and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Oakland Athletics 6-5 Sunday to salvage a series split.
Anthony Gose and Kelly Johnson also drove in runs for the Blue Jays, who have won two straight after ending a six-game losing streak.
Aaron Laffey (3-2) won for the third time in four decisions after allowing four runs on six hits over six innings. He walked one and struck out four.
Casey Janssen pitched the ninth for his 14th consecutive save.
Josh Reddick hit a three-run home run for the A's, who are 2-3 in August after going 19-5 in July. Coco Crisp and Derek Norris each doubled home a run for the A's.
Tommy Milone (9-9) lost his third straight start and is 1-3 in his last seven.
The Blue Jays recorded its best offensive output in 10 games. Toronto averaged just under two runs a game in their previous eight.
Rajai Davis scored from second base on a sacrifice bunt from Gose to put the Blue Jays ahead in the first inning. David doubled to open the game and was already at third base by the time Norris was just getting rid of the ball from Gose's bunt.
Norris double in the second scored Brandon Inge with the tying run and Reddick's three-run shot into the right field bleachers put the A's ahead 4-1 in the third.
Encarnacion's 29th home run in the fourth closed the gap to 4-3 and Toronto took the lead in the fifth when five hitters reached base safely after two were out. Escobar's two-run single and Johnson's RBI single were the key hits.
Adam Rosales doubled with one out in the seventh and scored on Crisp's double to make it 6-5.
NOTES: A's RHP A.J. Griffin went on the DL with a strained right shoulder. ... Oakland OF Michael Taylor was optioned to Triple-A. ... The A's recalled left-hander Pedro Figueroa and right-hander Evan Scribner from Sacramento. ... Blue Jays RHP Carlos Villanueva left the team for personal reasons. Toronto RHP Jesse Chavez was optioned to Triple-A. ... LHP J.A. Happ will move up to start Tuesday's game for the Blue Jays. ... Toronto also selected RHP Chad Jenkins from Double-A New Hampshire. ... The A's are 14-6 in 1-run games at home.
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