Toronto, ON – Derek Norris hit a two-run homer and Yoenis Cespedes drove in three runs to lead the Oakland Athletics to a 7-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays in the opener of a three-game set at Rogers Centre.
Jemile Weeks had two hits, including a RBI triple, and Coco Crisp doubled in a run as part of a five-run seventh inning for the A's, who have won a season-high six in a row and nine of 10 since the All-Star break.
Travis Blackley (3-2) allowed just one run on five hits and struck out eight over seven frames, as Oakland moved to 15-2 this month.
"I didn't think (Blackley) was great the first two innings maybe," Oakland manager Bob Melvin said. "But after that he pitched really well and mixed up his pitches really well. (Norris) did a great job with him behind the plate, kind of recognizing what was working for him and sticking with that."
Travis Snider and J.P. Arencibia each homered and Brett Lawrie had three hits for the Blue Jays, who had a three-game winning streak halted.
Brett Cecil (2-3) gave up two runs on five hits over six innings to drop his second straight start. He struck out eight and walked two.
"With the exception of a first-pitch fastball to Norris (Cecil) used his change-up, and his curve ball, and his cutter to get in to right-handers and had a number of guys off balance over the course of the night," Blue Jays manager John Farrell said.
The A's took a 2-0 lead in the second when Norris crushed his third homer of the year. Brandon Inge singled before Norris clobbered the first pitch he saw into the second the deck in left field.
Snider's solo blast in the third made it 2-1.
Oakland scored five runs with two outs in the seventh. Brandon Hicks doubled then scored when Weeks blasted a triple off the wall in right-center. Crisp followed with a double. Jonny Gomes and Josh Reddick worked back-to-back walks before Cespedes cleared the bases with a long single to left.
"In two innings tonight the third out was a little elusive," Farrell said "The way Blackley was pitching that was obviously too big a hole for us to come back. We contributed to that big inning in the seventh with some walks and it was too much to overcome by that point."
Arencibia's homer in the ninth off Jim Miller capped the scoring.
Game Notes
The A's have won seven of their last 11 meetings with the Blue Jays...Blackley last faced Toronto in 2004 when we was with the Mariners. He gave up six runs -- five earned -- in five innings to take the loss...Cecil has allowed three runs or fewer in five starts this season...Blue Jays are 9-11 against the American League West this season.
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