Blue Jays 4, Athletics 2
TORONTO -- Jose Bautista homered, Drew Hutchison pitched into the eighth inning and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Oakland Athletics 4-2 on Tuesday to extend their winning streak to nine games.
Bautista, the Blue Jays right fielder, stretched his hitting streak to seven games with his fourth home run in the past six games.
Designated hitter Chris Colabello added three hits, including two doubles, for the Blue Jays (62-52), who ended a three-game winning streak by the Athletics (51-63).
Hutchison (11-2), allowed a first-inning run before being shutting down the Athletics until the eighth when he was charged with his second run. The right-hander allowed four hits, two walks and two runs while striking out six in his seven-plus innings.
Right-hander Aaron Sanchez replaced Hutchison after shortstop Marcus Semien led off the eighth inning with an infield single to third.
After second baseman Eric Sogard sacrificed the runner to second, center fielder Billy Burns hit an RBI single to center.
Right-hander Robert Osuna pitched the ninth to earn his 11th save. Catcher Stephen Vogt doubled with one out. Former Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie flied out to center on a 3-2 count and first baseman Ike Davis struck out to end the game.
Athletics right-hander Kendall Graveman (6-8), a former Blue Jays minor-leaguer, allowed five hits, one walk and four runs (two earned) in 4 2/3 innings. He struck out four. The 24-year-old was part of the deal last offseason that sent Lawrie to the Athletics and third baseman Josh Donaldson to the Blue Jays.
The Athletics scored a run in the first inning, taking advantage of a challenge on an out call at first that would have completed an inning-ending double play. After the video review, right fielder Josh Reddick was ruled safe at first after forcing left fielder Coco Crisp, who had walked, at second on a grounder.
Designated hitter Danny Valencia, who was designated for assignment by the Blue Jays and claimed on waivers by Oakland on Aug. 3, lined an RBI double to center.
The Blue Jays scored three runs in the second, aided by two Oakland errors that made two of the runs unearned.
Colabello opened with a double and scored when catcher Russell Martin reached second base on a throwing error by Semien.
First baseman Justin Smoak hit an RBI double to left. Originally he was called out at second but a video review overturned the call. After center fielder Kevin Pillar reached first base on an error by second baseman Eric Sogard, Blue Jays second baseman Ryan Goins scored Smoak from third with a ground out to second.
Bautista hit his 27th homer of the season with two outs and nobody on base in the fifth to increase the Blue Jays' lead to 4-1.
After Colabello singled to right, Graveman was replaced by right-hander Evan Scribner.
NOTES: Blue Jays DH/1B Edwin Encarnacion (sore left middle finger) did not start for the second game in a row Tuesday. Manager John Gibbons said he is considered day to day. Encarnacion is on an 11-game hitting streak, batting .400 (16-for-40) with two homers and eight RBIs in that span. ... Blue Jays RHP Marcus Stroman (knee surgery) threw off a mound Tuesday in Dunedin, Fla., and said he felt "great." He is scheduled to throw in the bullpen again on Friday. ... Oakland DH Billy Butler was not in the starting lineup for the third straight game Tuesday. ... RHP R.A. Dickey (6-10, 3.93 ERA) will pitch for Toronto on Wednesday against A's RHP Aaron Brooks (1-0, 2.41 ERA). Blue Jays LHP Mark Buehrle was moved back a day and will start Thursday.