By Charlie O. Mallonee

The Oakland Athletics were swept out of Canada on Sunday as the Blue Jays defeated them by the score of 3-1. Not only did the Jays sweep the three-game series but the loss extended the A’s losing streak to four consecutive games. The losing streak does not mean the season is over for Oakland. Teams have winning and losing streaks over the course of a six-month season. The key to success is to not let the losing streaks go on for too long.

The A’s ran into a buzz –saw by the name of J.A. Happ on Sunday. Happ – who started the season on the disabled list and became a starter only after another Toronto pitcher went down with injuries. Happ started his fifth game of the season on Sunday and came away with his fourth victory versus just one defeat.

Happ pitched seven scoreless innings giving up just four hits while striking out seven Athletics and walking just three batters. Happ threw 110 pitches (75 strikes) in facing just 28 hitters. His key to success was inducing the Oakland batters to hit high fly balls for outs.

Dustin McGowan entered the game to set it up for the closer but gave up one-run on one-hit. The hit was a towering 400-plus foot home run by Josh Donaldson (11) over the center field fence. It would be the only run Oakland would score.

Casey Janssen came on in the ninth-inning to pick up his seventh save of the season. Jansen’s ERA after 8 appearances is 0.00.

Oakland starting pitcher Drew Pomeranz entered the game with a 15-inning scoreless streak on Sunday. After extending the streak to 18-innings, Pomeranz gave up a solo home run to Edwin Encarnacion. He then gave up back-to-back hits followed by a walk to load the bases. An inning-ending double play prevented any further damage.

Pomeranz ran into more trouble in the fifth-inning. Kevin Pillar led off with a single that was followed by a base-hit from Jose Reyes. Melky Cabrera drew a base-on-balls. Pomeranz went to the showers while Jim Johnson entered the game for Oakland.

Johnson gave up a single to left field to Jose Bautista that drove in Pillar from third. Jose Reyes tried to score as well but gunned down by an excellent throw from Cespedes to Derek Norris. The A’s escaped any further damage by retiring the side.

Johnson worked a scoreless sixth inning and gave way to Luke Gregerson. Gregerson gave up a run on just one hit. Jose Reyes led off with a single and went on to steal second and third bases. Jose Bautista then drove Reyes home on a sacrifice fly to deep left field for the Jays’ third and final run of the game.

Fernando Abad pitched the eighth inning and gave up no runs on two hits.

The A’s will have no time rest and recover from their road trip. Oakland kicks off a four-game series with the Detroit Tigers on Monday at 1:05 PM at O.co Coliseum. It will be a battle of lefthanders as the Tigers will start Drew Smyly (2-2, 2.97) and the A’s will counter with Tommy Milone (2-3, 3.99).