Blue Jays 5, A's 2
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Jose Bautista roped an RBI double and Colby Rasmus hit a two-run single in the top of the 10th inning, lifting the Toronto Blue Jays to a 5-2 victory over the Oakland A's Wednesday afternoon at O.co Coliseum.
A's right-handed reliever Jesse Chavez came on in the 10th and gave up a leadoff infield single to Jose Reyes, who took second on catcher Stephen Vogt's second passed ball of the game. Then with one out, Bautista grounded an opposite-field double into the right-field corner, bringing Reyes home to snap a 2-2 tie.
After Chavez walked Edwin Encarnacion intentionally, left-hander Jerry Blevins took over but walked pinch hitter Mark De Rosa then gave up a two-run single to Rasmus.
The Blue Jays beat the A's for the second straight game and captured their second straight series, winning two of three games.
A's right-hander Bartolo Colon and Blue Jays knuckleballer R.A Dickey dueled for six innings, but they both exited with the score tied 2-2.
Colon (14-3) was looking for his fourth straight win but settled for a no-decision. He allowed six hits and two runs -- one earned -- while striking out one and walking three, one off his season high. Typically a strike-throwing machine, Colon struggled some with his command and threw 97 pitches, just 53 for strikes.
Dickey, who had his second straight no-decision, allowed two runs, both of them unearned. He gave up six hits while striking out three and walking one. Dickey (8-11), who went 20-6 for the Mets last year and won the National League's Cy Young Award winner, hasn't won a game since July 1 against Detroit.
After Dickey's work day ended, the Blue Jays' bullpen took over. Left-hander Aaron Loup retired the first four A's he faced before giving up singles to Josh Donaldson and Seth Smith in the eighth. But right-hander Steve Delabar, who struck out three A's on nine pitches in the eighth inning Tuesday night, struck out Chris Young and Vogt to end the inning. Casey Janssen pitched a perfect ninth, earning the win, and Brett Cecil a perfect 10th for his first major-league save.
Right-hander Ryan Cook threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings after Colon exited, and Sean Doolittle came on to get the final two outs in the eighth. Closer Grant Balfour pitched a perfect ninth, striking out all three batters he faced then turned the game over to Chavez.
The Blue Jays entered the game with 71 errors, fourth-most among American League teams, and added four more to their total, two of those on balls that appeared to be lost in the sun. Second baseman Macier Izturis had two errors, while Bautista and Dickey had one apiece.
NOTES: Infielder Alberto Callaspo reported to the A's on Wednesday morning, just hours after he was acquired in a trade from the Los Angeles Angels. He pinch hit in the seventh inning and remained in the game at second base. Callaspo learned that he had been traded midway through the Angels' game Tuesday night against the Texas Rangers at Arlington. "I was just kind of surprised," Callaspo said. "I'll try to keep doing my job, play 100 percent and try to help the team." The A's plan to have Callaspo platoon at second base with Sogard and play against left-handed pitchers. He'll also see action at third, giving Donaldson an occasional break. ... RF Josh Reddick was scratched from the lineup because he had a lingering headache Wednesday morning after getting kneed in the head Tuesday night by Jed Lowrie during a collision in the bottom of the seventh inning. "We don't feel like it's concussion symptoms, but any time somebody comes in with a little bit of a headache after getting hit on the head last night, you want to be careful with that," A's manager Bob Melvin said. ... Infielder Adam Rosales was designated for assignment Wednesday, clearing a spot on the A's 25-man roster for Callaspo. ... The Blue Jays stood pat prior to Wednesday's 4 p.m. (ET) non-waiver trade deadline.
