Guerrero’s streak ends as Blue Jays lose to A’s

TORONTO – Starting pitcher JP Sears halted Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s 22-game hitting streak as the Oakland Athletics defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 8-4 on Sunday.

Guerrero grounded to short in the first inning, flew out to right field in the fourth and grounded into a double play in the seventh and eighth innings. The last at-bat was against Oakland reliever Michel Otanez.

The Blue Jays slugger equalled his career-high hit streak with a first-inning single on Saturday.

Sears (10-8) gave up three runs on three hits with three walks and four strikeouts.

He departed after back-to-back walks to Spencer Horwitz and Davis Schneider to begin the eighth. They later scored on George Springer’s single off Otanez in a three-run Toronto rally.

Daulton Varsho ended Sears’ no-hit bid with a one-out homer down the right-field line for his 14th as the Athletics (50-69) took the series 2-1 over the Blue Jays (54-64).

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Sears became the first 10-game winner for Oakland since four starters, including current Blue Jay Chris Bassitt, hit the mark in 2021.

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Bassitt (9-11) faced Sears before 38,797 at Rogers Centre. The Toronto starter fell behind early after a six-run first inning, in which JJ Bleday and Zack Gelof hit two-run homers.

Bassitt lasted only four innings. He gave up seven runs on eight hits with walks, a hit batter and five strikeouts.

The Athletics sent 11 batters to the plate in the first inning. Lawrence Butler belted a leadoff double down the right-field line.

He scored on Brent Rooker’s infield hit when Jays first baseman Horwitz hurried a behind-the-back flip that sailed over the head of Bassitt, who was covering first base.

After Bleday and Gelof each smacked their two-run homers, Butler batted for a second time and knocked in Daz Cameron with a single to left.

Butler again singled to left in the fourth inning for his third hit and later scored on Bleday’s third RBI.

Bleday, Butler and Gelof had three of the Athletics’ 12 hits.

The Athletics added another run in the sixth on a double into the left-field corner that scored Max Schuemann.

Varsho also singled in the seventh, and Luis De Los Santos checked in with his first career hit, an infield hit in the sixth, and doubled in a run in the ninth for his first RBI.

VOTTO WATCH

Joey Votto has made nine appearances for Triple-A Buffalo as he attempts to return to Major League Baseball with the Blue Jays after an ankle injury in spring training.

The native of Etobicoke, Ont., has gone 4-for-19 with a homer, three RBI, four walks and 10 strikeouts.

Votto, who turns 41 on Sept. 10, is 25 hits behind Hall of Famer Larry Walker’s Canadian record of 2,160 hits. But it remains to be seen if Toronto will promote Votto with seven weeks to go.

The Blue Jays open a seven-game home stand on Aug. 19 against Votto’s old club, the Cincinnati Reds.

ON DECK

The Blue Jays begin a six-game trip with stops against the Los Angeles Angels and Chicago Cubs on Monday.

Toronto’s Bowden Francis (4-3) will start in the opener in Anaheim. The Angels will counter with righty Davis Daniel (1-3).

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 11, 2024.

&© 2024 The Canadian Press