Rooker hits 29th HR, Bido and 3 relievers combine on 2-hitter as Athletics beat Blue Jays 1-0
Oakland Athletics designated hitter Brent Rooker celebrates after hitting a home run against the Toronto Blue Jays in the sixth inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Saturday, Aug 10, 2024. Credit: AP/Jon Blacker
TORONTO — Osvaldo Bido and three relievers combined on a two-hitter, Brent Rooker hit his 29th home run and the Oakland Athletics beat the Toronto Blue Jays 1-0 on Saturday for their ninth shutout of the season.
Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr. singled in the first inning, extending his hitting streak to 22 games and matching the longest streak of his career. Guerrero also had a 22-game hitting streak in 2022. His current streak is the longest active streak in the major leagues.
Guerrero went 1 for 4. He struck out swinging in the ninth with the tying run at first base.
Bido (3-3) allowed two hits, both singles, in six innings. He walked one and struck out five.
Left-hander Scott Alexander pitched the seventh, righty Tyler Ferguson worked the eighth and Mason Miller finished for his 17th save in 19 chances.
Toronto was blanked for the fifth time. The Blue Jays are 15-20 in one-run games.
Shea Langeliers had four hits for the Athletics, who played a one-run game for the seventh time in their past 14. Oakland went 5-2 in those games, and is 17-19 in one-run outcomes this season.
Toronto Blue Jays left fielder Joey Loperfido, left, and center fielder Daulton Varsho (25) chase a ball off the wall hit by Oakland Athletics' designated hitter Brent Rooker in the sixth inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Saturday, Aug 10, 2024. Credit: AP/Jon Blacker
Rooker drove in the only run in the sixth with a two-out homer off Blue Jays right-hander Yariel Rodríguez. The ball bounced off the top of the wall and back into play, and was initially ruled a double. The call was overturned after a replay review.
Rooker’s homer was the only extra-base hit among the 10 hits in the game.
Rodríguez (1-5) allowed one run and five hits in 5 2/3 innings. He walked one and struck out five. The rookie is winless in five starts.
Oakland came in having gone eight games without turning a double play, matching the second-longest streak in team history. The Athletics, who turned two double plays Saturday, had a nine-game stretch without one in April 1981.
Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. fields a ground ball off the bat of Oakland Athletics' J.J. Bleday in the sixth inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Saturday, Aug 10, 2024. Credit: AP/Jon Blacker
Infielder Ernie Clement had the only other Toronto hit, a leadoff single in the second.
ROSTER MOVES
Athletics: Oakland reinstated OF/1B Seth Brown from the paternity list and optioned INF Armando Alvarez to Triple-A Las Vegas.
Blue Jays: Toronto claimed RHP Luis Frías off waivers from Arizona and optioned him to Triple-A Buffalo.
UP NEXT
Blue Jays RHP Chris Bassitt (9-10, 3.95 ERA) is scheduled to face his former team in Sunday’s series finale. LHP JP Sears (9-8, 4.35) is scheduled for the Athletics. Bassitt has a 2.31 ERA in five career starts against Oakland.
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