Pache’s blast in ninth boosts A’s to win over Jays

TORONTO — Cristian Pache hit a go-ahead home run in the ninth inning, Sean Murphy also connected, and Oakland beat Toronto 7-5 on Saturday, snapping a six-game skid against the Blue Jays.

Pache hammered a 1-and-0 pitch from Julian Merryweather (0-2) into the right-field bullpen for his first home run of the season and second of his career. The Athletics acquired Pache from Atlanta last month in the deal that sent All-Star first baseman Matt Olson to the Braves.

A’s starter Paul Blackburn allowed two runs on five hits in five innings. Dany Jimenez (1-0) worked one inning for the win, and Lou Trivino pitched around a leadoff walk in the ninth to earn his second save in three chances.

Matt Chapman and Zack Collins homered on consecutive pitches from A’s reliever Domingo Acevedo in the sixth as Toronto erased a 5-2 deficit.

Oakland used four straight hits off Hyun Jin Ryu to take a 3-1 lead in the second, with Sheldon Neuse, Kevin Smith and Christian Bethancourt each driving in a run.

■ Astros 4, Mariners 0: At Seattle, Justin Verlander (1-1) shut out Seattle on three hits and struck out eight in eight innings, and Houston rookie Jeremy Pena was a home run short of the cycle.

■ Dodgers 5, Reds 2: At Los Angeles, Trea Turner broke a scoreless tie with a two-run homer in Los Angeles’ four-run sixth after Julio Urias shut out Cincinnati on one hit in five innings.

■ Angels 7, Rangers 2: At Arlington, Texas, Shohei Ohtani hit his third home run in two games to back Noah Syndergaard (2-0), who held Texas to two runs in six innings.

■ Diamondbacks 3, Mets 2: At New York, Sergio Alcantara snapped a scoreless tie with a two-run homer in the seventh for Arizona, which had lost 11 straight at Citi Field.

■ Red Sox 4, Twins 0: At Boston, Alex Verdugo and Xander Bogaerts each hit a two-run homer to back Tanner Houck (1-0), who allowed two hits in five-plus shutout innings.

■ Braves 5, Padres 2: At San Diego, Matt Olson hit one of Atlanta’s three homers to back Ian Anderson (1-1), who allowed one run on two hits in 5⅔ innings.

■ Giants 4, Guardians 2: At Cleveland, Brandon Belt scored the go-ahead run on Wilmer Flores’ bases-loaded grounder in the San Francisco eighth.

■ Cardinals 2, Brewers 1: At Milwaukee, Steven Matz (1-1) pitched 5⅔ shutout innings and combined with three St. Louis relievers on a five-hitter.

■ White Sox 3, Rays 2: At Chicago, Jose Abreu hit a two-run homer for Chicago, and closer Liam Hendriks left the bases loaded in the ninth.

■ Rockies 9, Cubs 6: At Denver, C.J. Cron hit a two-run homer in Colorado’s four-run third and connected again leading off the seventh.

■ Pirates 6, Nationals 4: At Pittsburgh, Michael Chavis capped his three-hit night with a triple in Pittsburgh’s three-run eighth.

■ Royals 3, Tigers 1: At Kansas City, Mo., Hunter Dozier hit a tiebreaking two-run homer on an 0-and-2 pitch in the sixth.

■ Phillies 10, Marlins 3: At Miami, Bryce Harper had a two-run double, walked twice and stole home for Philadelphia.

■ Yankees 5, Orioles 2: At Baltimore, Josh Donaldson’s two-run homer capped New York’s four-run fifth.

Frank Gunn The Associated Press Sean Murphy, right, celebrates his third-inning home run with Athletics teammate Jed Lowrie in Oakland’s win over Toronto at Rogers Centre.