OAKLAND — A blast and a bloop gave the A’s a lead in the seventh inning, but it wasn’t enough as the Toronto Blue Jays broke loose for three runs in the 10th inning for a 6-4 win Sunday at the Coliseum before a crowd of 11,276.
The Athletics fell to a season-most 15 games under .500 at 26-41, with the Blue Jays taking two of three in the series and improving to 31-33.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who had a two-run single in the second, cleaned the bases with a three-run double in the 10th against A’s reliefer Austin Adams (0-2). Adams had the bases loaded due to a free runner, a walk and a hit-by-pitch.
The A’s managed to get home their free runner in the 10th but got nothing else against reliever Genesis Cabrera.
Mason Miller retired the side in the top of the ninth for the A’s, getting Danny Jansen on a ground ball to second, striking out Vladimir Guerrero Jr. looking at a slider, and getting Bo Bichette on a foul pop to third.
Yimi Garcia retired the A’s in order in the bottom of the ninth, although Tyler Soderstrom brought the fans to their feet with an opposite field drive that was caught at the fence for the first out.
The single by Abraham Toro that gave the A’s the lead in the seventh wasn’t much of a blow, leaving the bat at 61.5 miles per hour and carrying all of 186 feet. But it fell in between the Toronto outfield and infield in center, and brought home Soderstrom and Aledmys Diaz.
Soderstrom walked against Trevor Richards to open the inning and after Diaz singled, No. 9 hitter Max Schuemann moved up both runners with a perfectly executed sacrifice bunt.
The runs put starter Mitch Spence in position for the win after giving up two earned runs and five hits in seven innings with no walks and three strikeouts. The right-hander threw 89 pitches, 64 of them strikes.
The win wasn’t to be, however, as Scott Alexander, pitching the eighth, gave up a sacrifice fly to pinch hitter Davis Schneider to tie the score 3-3. Daulton Varsho opened the inning with a single, went to second on a sacrifice and stole third with a huge jump before Schneider’s drive to center plated the run.
Brent Rooker homered for the Athletics, his 13th of the season, in the sixth inning. Rooker had been in a 2-for-18 slump on the homestand, but his drive against Nate Pearson carried 436 feet to left center and left the park park at 110 mph.
The Blue Jays got to Spence for two runs in the second inning when Kiner-Falefa hit a two-run single to center with one out, bringing home Justin Turner and George Springer.
Turner doubled to left to open the inning, with Springer singling to put runners at first and third. Springer stole second, and after Varsho struck out. Kiner-Falefa drove in both runners.
If the A’s were hoping to get some traction offensively against right-hander Bowden Francis after the consecutive games against some of the better pitchers in the American League, it didn’t happen. Francis, who came in with a 2-2 record and 9.00 earned run average, held the A’s to three hits and no runs through four innings before giving way to Zach Pop.
Crowd count
Sunday’s crowd brought the three-game attendance for the Toronto series to 36,607 — an average of 12,202 per game. The series included fireworks and a “reverse boycott” Friday night and a Little League Day as well as the first “alumni Sunday” of the season to close the series.
Injury updates
Reliever Lucas Erceg (right forearm strain) threw a pregame bullpen session and could be activated this week in either San Diego or Minnesota.
The bad news? Opening Day starter Alex Wood (left rotator cuff tendonitis) had a setback and was transferred to the 60-day injured list.
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“He had his throwing progression to 90 feet the other day and it didn’t go well,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said. “So he’s down for the time being.”
Other players have showed some progress although there are no specific timetables.
Reliever Kyle Muller (left shoulder tendonitis) has started a throwing program. Starter Paul Blackburn (stress fracture) is out of a walking boot and will begin a throwing program. Outfielder Esteury Ruiz (strained left wrist) is out of a brace and will begin a strength program. Pitcher Ross Stripling (right elbow strain) will begin throwing on Tuesday. Shortstop Darrell Hernaiz (left ankle) is out of a boot.
