Athletics vs Blue Jays ended with late drama as Jeff McNeil hustled out an infield single in the ninth inning to drive in the winner, lifting Oakland to a 6-5 walk-off victory Monday night in West Sacramento after the A’s squandered a four-run lead.
Andrés Giménez pulled Toronto even with a solo homer in the ninth. The Blue Jays, now 72-73, remain one game behind Cleveland for the final American League wild-card spot. Alejandro Kirk and Kazuma Okamoto also homered for Toronto, while ace Dylan Cease was tagged for five runs, four earned, over five innings.
Rookie leadoff man Henry Bolte powered the A’s offense with a home run and three runs scored. He drew three walks and stole three bases as Oakland notched its fifth win in six games following a five-game skid. Zack Gelof added a homer, two RBIs, two steals, and scored twice.
Max Muncy sparked the winning rally with an infield single to open the ninth. After two outs, Louis Varland (5-5) issued consecutive walks to Donovan Walton and Bolte to load the bases. McNeil then chopped a slow roller to short and beat the throw to first as the winning run crossed.
Athletics vs Blue Jays key moments
Gelof put Oakland on the board with a ground-rule double in the first, then scored on a throwing error by Okamoto at third. Kirk answered with a solo shot to right-center in the second.
Carlos Cortes lined an RBI single during a two-run third for the A’s, and Bolte launched his ninth homer to right in the fifth to make it 5-1.
Toronto surged back in the seventh. Okamoto belted his 29th homer off starter Jacob Lopez, Giménez followed with an RBI double, and pinch-hitter Josh Smith added a sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to one.
Giménez connected again in the ninth off Hogan Harris (4-2) to tie it 5-5, setting the stage for McNeil’s walk-off in the bottom half.
On deck
Toronto is set to start right-hander José Soriano (11-7, 3.52 ERA) on Tuesday against Oakland right-hander Jack Perkins (3-10, 6.50) in the second game of the series.
