The Athletics already put the Blue Jays in a tough spot by stealing the series opener, and they have a chance to make that damage even worse in the finale. Toronto is now a game behind the final Wild Card spot, and that gap could grow by the end of the series.
What swung the opener was a mix of sharp bullpen work and an offense that kept pressure on Toronto every step of the way. Jacob Lopez delivered several quick, scoreless innings out of the bullpen, and the A’s lineup stayed aggressive enough to make the Blue Jays uncomfortable on defense.
Henry Bolte was right in the middle of it. He swiped three bases and scored three runs, and his speed helped fuel a night that included three Blue Jays errors.
One of those mistakes turned into a run after Zack Gelof got caught in a rundown. The formula was simple: put the ball in play and force the other team to crack.
Now the focus shifts to Jack Perkins, who was sent down on Sep. 4 and then recalled on Sep. 5 after JT Ginn landed on the injured list. The move may have come a little early given Perkins’ recent stretch, but the bigger issue is whether he can put together a strong start without an opener behind him.
His last outing against the Mariners was rough. Perkins lasted just 3.0 innings, gave up three runs and four hits, and walked five.
Brian Serven could have pushed for a few more close calls, but the walks were still the biggest problem. Before that, though, Perkins had shown what he can do, covering 10.0 innings across two starts while allowing only two runs.
That kind of outing matters here because Perkins likely puts the bullpen in line for a long day no matter what. If he can get through five innings, that already would be asking a lot, and even then the A’s could still need at least three pitchers to get through the game.
That makes a bridge performance from someone like Brady Basso especially important. In one of his recent appearances, he threw 3.0 scoreless innings and allowed just three hits.
The A’s would take that kind of length again in a heartbeat. If they get it, and the offense keeps forcing mistakes, they can leave the late innings in good shape.
In Other News...
As Rebuild Still Hinges On One Big Pitching Question
The As left Toronto with a 6-5 walk-off win, a reminder that even in a season defined by run prevention problems, there are nights when the offense and enough pitching hold together long enough to matter. The broader picture, though, is still hard to miss: Oakland has spent much of the year battling the leagues worst ERA, and the home-run damage has been especially punishing at home, leaving the staff with little margin for error.
There have been small signs of life on the mound, and some of the bullpen work lately has at least given the club something to build on. Even so, the pitching remains the central question hanging over the rebuild, especially with defensive support likely to improve once more regular starters are back in place and the front office turns toward offseason fixes for a staff that still needs real reinforcement. [Read more 🡒]
As Bullpen Nearly Ruined Henry Boltes Breakout Night
For most of Friday night at the Coliseum, Henry Bolte looked like the kind of young spark the Athletics have been searching for, turning the opener against Toronto into his breakout stage. The As outlasted the Blue Jays 6-5 in the first game of a three-game series, and Bolte was in the middle of nearly everything positive, giving the crowd a reason to keep leaning forward as the game unfolded.
Jacob Lopez gave Oakland six solid innings to set things up, but the bullpen nearly let the whole thing slip away after the Blue Jays clawed back to tie it. The As still found a way to finish it in the ninth, keeping Boltes big night from being wasted and giving the club a win that felt far tighter than it should have been. [Read more 🡒]
Athletics Keep Wrecking The AL Race As A New Spark Emerges
The Athletics kept playing spoiler in a way that has become hard to ignore, taking down the Blue Jays behind a night built on pressure, contact and mistakes turned into runs. Jacob Lopez gave them six innings and allowed four runs, while the offense kept the ball in play and made Toronto pay for its errors, a formula that has helped Oakland keep shaking up the American League picture even as the calendar moves toward the finish line.
Henry Bolte gave the game its flash, showing up as the latest unexpected spark in an As lineup that is finding new ways to matter. He stole three bases and hit a home run, a combination the club had not seen from one of its own in decades, and it was the kind of burst that can alter more than one conversation around the standings and beyond, from the Wild Card chase to the ripple effects on individual awards. [Read more 🡒]