Field Level Media
Sep 5, 2021
Left-hander Robbie Ray struck out 10 and allowed one hit in 6 2/3 innings, Alejandro Kirk hit a three-run home run and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the visiting Oakland Athletics 8-0 Sunday afternoon.
Marcus Semien added his 35th home run of the season, a solo shot, as the Blue Jays completed a sweep of the three-game series. Bo Bichette was 4-for-4 with an RBI double, Kirk finished 3-for-4 and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was 3-for-5 to extend his hit streak to a career-best 13 games.
Ray (11-5) allowed three walks as he became the first pitcher in franchise history to record 10 or more strikeouts in four consecutive starts. Roger Clemens had double-digit strikeouts in three straight starts.
Athletics left-hander Cole Irvin (9-13) allowed seven runs and eight hits in 2 1/3 innings.
The Blue Jays (73-62) have won seven of their past eight games and the Athletics (74-63), who were outhit 13-2 in the game, have lost 10 of their past 14.
The Blue Jays took a 3-0 lead in the second inning. Bichette and Kirk singled, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. tripled and Randal Grichuk doubled.
Semien led off a four-run third with a home run to left. Guerrero and Bichette singled and Kirk hit his fifth home run of the season. Deolis Guerra replaced Irvin.
Guerrero singled and scored on Bichette's double in the fourth inning.
Khris Davis had Oakland's first hit when he doubled with one out in the fifth.
Trevor Richards replaced Ray with two outs in the seventh inning with a runner on base via Ray's lone walk. Richards completed the inning with a strikeout.
Toronto's Bryan Baker made his major league debut in the eighth inning and allowed a leadoff single to Chad Pinder. Baker worked around two wild pitches to complete the inning while recording one strikeout.
Nate Pearson pitched a perfect top of the ninth for the Blue Jays and struck out the side. Blue Jays pitchers recorded 15 strikeouts.
--Field Level Media