The Oakland A’s Cristian Pache is thrilled after getting the game winning home run in the top of the ninth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on Sat Apr 16, 2022 (The Canadian Press via AP News)
A’s, Pache Continues Hot Start with 7-5 Saturday Win at Toronto
By Tony the Tiger Hayes
The no-name A’s continued their quick start to the 2022 season on Saturday by beating old friend Matt Chapman and the Toronto Blue Jays 7-5 on the road.
Spring time accusation Cristian Pache belted a go-ahead two-run long ball in the 9th to spear head the win to improve Oakland young season record to 5-4.
Catcher Sean Murphy also went deep for the A’s. The win went to righty reliever Danny Jimenez who pitched a perfect 8th. Lou Trivino notched his second save.
The win snapped Oakland’s six game losing streak to the Jays dating back to last season.
Hot prospect Pache was acquired during spring training in a trade from Atlanta that sent slugger Matt Olson Southbound.
With Oakland tied 5-5, Pache walloped a 1-0 Julian Merryweather fastball over the right field fence for his first Oakland round tripper to put Oakland up 7-5.
“I noticed that he was throwing a lot of breaking balls so I paid attention to that,” the exciting rookie said through an interpreter after the game. “I also saw that he was throwing a lot of curveballs so I made sure not to miss any of the fastballs and I went out there and I didn’t miss.”
Merryweather took the loss.
Earlier, Chapman whacked his second homer and Zack Collins sailed his first on consecutive pitches from A’s right-hander Domingo Acevedo in the 6th as the Blue Jays to over come a 5-2 deficit.
Oakland took a 3-1 lead in the 2nd when they strung four consecutive hits off Toronto starter Hyundai Jin Ryu to take a 3-1 lead.
Murphy, who doubled and scored in that frame, made it 5-1 with a two-run 451 poke to center field seats in the 4th.

