Blue Jays 7, A's 1
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Russell Martin smacked a three-run homer and teammates Edwin Encarnacion and Jose Bautista added solo blasts Tuesday night, sending the Toronto Blue Jays to a 7-1 victory over the Oakland Athletics in the teams' first meeting since their blockbuster trade in November.
All-Star third baseman Josh Donaldson, the Blue Jays' lone acquisition in the five-player deal, added two doubles and an RBI in his return to Oakland as Toronto roughed up former teammate Kendall Graveman and three relievers.
Third baseman Brett Lawrie, sent to Oakland along with Graveman and two minor-leaguers, recorded two of the Athletics' eight hits, a pair of singles, in his first game against his old mates.
Left-hander Mark Buehrle improved to 11-5, including 6-1 since May 23, with seven innings of one-run ball. He has never allowed more than three runs in seven career starts against Oakland, going 5-1 over that stretch.
Buehrle allowed eight hits and struck out three. He did not walk a batter.
In the opener of a six-game trip, the Blue Jays were clinging to a 2-0 lead before knocking out Graveman with a four-run sixth. Martin's home run, his 13th of the season, provided the crushing blow, following walks to Encarnacion and first baseman Justin Smoak.
Bautista homered earlier in the inning.
The A's ended Buehrle's shutout bid on left fielder Jake Smolinski's RBI triple in the bottom of the sixth to get within 6-1. However, Donaldson's first double, which plated shortstop Jose Reyes, got that run back in the top of the seventh against Oakland reliever Dan Otero.
Martin, Donaldson, Reyes and center fielder Kevin Pillar had two hits apiece for Toronto, which lost its previous four games in Oakland. The Blue Jays out-hit the A's 10-8.
Donaldson was charged with the game's only error, an errant throw on a grounder by A's shortstop Marcus Semien in the third inning.
Graveman (6-6) lost his second consecutive decision. He was lit up for six runs on six hits, including the three homers, in 5 1/3 innings. He walked three and struck out four.
Lawrie and center fielder Billy Burns had two hits apiece for Oakland, which fell to a major-league-worst 6-18 against left-handed starting pitchers.
Encarnacion's homer, a solo blast halfway up the first deck of bleachers in left field, opened the scoring in the second inning. It was his 19th of the season.
Pillar's first hit of the night, a leadoff double in the third, led to Toronto's second run. He scored on Reyes' one-out RBI single.
Bautista's homer, another solo shot, made it 3-0 in the sixth. It was his 20th, giving him 20 or more in six consecutive seasons, allowing him to join Carlos Delgado and Joe Carter as the only Blue Jays ever to accomplish the feat.
NOTES: The Blue Jays acquired 3B Josh Donaldson from the A's in November in exchange for 3B Brett Lawrie, RHP Kendall Graveman, LHP Sean Nolin and SS Franklin Barreto. While Donaldson entertained reporters before the game, Lawrie politely declined all interview requests. ... Manager Bob Melvin is tied with Ken Macha for third place on Oakland's all-time win list with 368, trailing only Tony La Russa (798) and Art Howe (600). ... A's CF Coco Crisp (cervical strain) took live batting practice before the game for the first time since going on the disabled list May 20. ... Oakland RHP/LHP Pat Venditte (strained right shoulder) will make rehab appearances for Class A Stockton on Thursday (throwing with both arms) and Saturday (left-handed only). ... Blue Jays RHP Aaron Sanchez (strained right lat) allowed two unearned runs in two-thirds of an inning in a rehab appearance for Triple-A Buffalo on Tuesday. Toronto plans to convert Sanchez to a reliever upon his return.