Darell Heraniz is congratulated in the Oakland A’s dugout in the top of the third inning after connecting for a solo home run against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre in Toronto on Fri Aug 9, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Oakland A’s (48-69) played a competitive game against the Toronto Blue Jays (54-62) but came up short losing 3-1 Friday night. The A’s had tied up this game in the third inning off a Darell Hernaiz home run but the Blue Jays went on to score two more runs one of them their second home run of the game, a Spencer Horwitz solo homer.

Game recap: The Blue Jays were first up on the board in the first inning taking a 1-0 lead. George Springer hit a long ball to center field for the early lead. Toronto had both Daulton Varsho, who was thrown out trying to reach third, on base and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. also on base but Spence got out of the inning with minimal damage.

It was a three up three down inning for Mitch Spence in the second inning and this game went on to the third inning. Darell Hernaiz tied up this game with a blast to left center, a solo shot.

In the sixth inning, the Blue Jays took back the lead 2-1. Alejandro Kirk grounded into a fielder’s choice to third and Guerrero Jr. scored. After the third inning run, the Oakland A’s did not score through five innings and only had four hits and one walk. They did have opportunity but many of their hits came with two outs.

In the bottom of the eighth, the Blue Jays hit their second home run of the game taking a 3-1 lead. Spencer Horwitz homered, a solo shot to right and Oakland had one last chance to make a move in this game in the ninth inning. When it was all said and done, Oakland finished the game with six hits and the Blue Jays extended their’s to ten hits.

Oakland pitcher Mitch Spence went 5 2/3 innings finishing with eight allowed hits, two earned runs and two strike outsl. T.J. McFarland finished the fifth inning. The Blue Jays Jose Berrios went seven innings allowing six hits, one run and had eight strikeouts. A pretty good game for Berrios.

Game notes: Friday the A’s went into a three game series with the Blue Jays at Roger Centre in Ontario. Oakland is coming off a series win over the Chicago White Sox winning the third game after trailing for most of the game. The A’s scored three runs in in the seventh inning to win the game and the series.

The Blue Jays just won a series from the Baltimore Orioles at home. Last Saturday against the Yankees, pitcher and Friday’s starter Jose Berrios gave up six runs in what was unquestionably one of his worst outings this season.

The A’s Friday night wanted an upset after coming on strong after the break going 11-7 the second best in the AL. Oakland was the underdog and indeed lost in a two run game. Despite that they have won some impressive games from the Dodgers and the Giants.

They have also won series off the Angels and the Astros, much of it due to some great pitching. Mitch Spence has turned things around on his last three outings while Jose Berrios has not been good at all in the month of July posting a 6.08 ERA.

Berrios fortunately had turned the tables on the A’s with some decent pitching on Friday going seven innings allowing just the one home run to Hernaiz in the third inning. A’s starter Mitch Spence went 5.2 innings pitched well enough to win but didn’t get the run support.

Saturday the A’s will be looking to tie up this series in game two. Osvaldo Bido (9-8, ERA 4.35) will take the mound for the Athletics. For the Blue Jays, Yariel Rodriguez will get the nod. He has a 1-4 record and a 3.96 ERA. First pitch for game two is scheduled for 12:07 PM PT and will air on NBC Sports California.