Athletics at Blue Jays
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. made an instant impact with the Toronto Blue Jays in his much-anticipated debut Friday, keying a game-winning rally in the bottom of the ninth inning. Guerrero and the surging Blue Jays seek their fifth consecutive win against the Oakland Athletics when the teams continue a weekend series in Toronto on Saturday.
Guerrero, the son of the Hall of Famer by the same name and the top prospect in the game, notched his first career hit with a leadoff double in the ninth before Brandon Drury's walk-off two-run homer, which gave the Blue Jays seven wins in their last 10 games. Robbie Grossman's two-run pinch-hit homer gave the Athletics all of their runs as they opened a nine-game road trip on a sour note. Shortstop Marcus Semien had two of Oakland's five hits Friday night and is 5-for-12 with five RBIs during a three-game hitting streak. Oakland lefty Brett Anderson and Toronto righty Aaron Sanchez both left their matchup Sunday in Oakland due to injury but are slated to take the mound Saturday.
TV: 3:07 p.m. ET, NBCS California (Oakland), Sportsnet One (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics LH Brett Anderson (3-1, 3.04 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Aaron Sanchez (2-1, 2.77)
Anderson departed after 2 2/3 innings against the Blue Jays due to a sprained ankle but successfully navigated a bullpen session during the week and is good to go. He suffered his first loss in that outing after opening the season 3-0 with a 2.63 ERA through his first four starts. The 31-year-old has a 7.07 ERA in four career starts at the Rogers Centre.
Sanchez got through four innings at Oakland before a broken fingernail ended his outing. He recorded 23 strikeouts and 16 walks over his first five starts but has survived by limiting opponents to a .211 average. Sanchez is 0-2 with a 6.91 ERA in five career games (three starts) against the Athletics.
WALK-OFFS
1. Blue Jays INF Eric Sogard homered and singled Friday to raise his average to .394 in eight games since being called up from Triple-A Buffalo.
2. Athletics LF/DH Khris Davis was 0-for-4 with four strikeouts in the series opener and is 3-for-29 over his last eight contests.
3. Toronto's 4-0 record against Oakland this year comes after the Athletics took all seven meetings in 2018.