Semien’s 3-run HR powers Jays to walk-off win
TORONTO — Marcus Semien hit a game-ending three-run home run in the ninth inning after Loudes Gurriel Jr. hit a tying grand slam in the eighth, and the Toronto Blue Jays rallied three times to stun the Oakland Athletics 11-10 Friday night. “We just woke up,” Semien said. Semien connected off Sergio Romo (1-1) for his career-best 34th home run of the season, sparking a wild celebration at home plate.
“It’s huge,” Semien said. “Every win is so important right now. Biggest at-bat of the year for me, obviously.”
Oakland dropped three games behind Boston in the AL wild-card race. Toronto remains five games back of the Red Sox, who beat Cleveland 8-4 Friday.
The Blue Jays have won nine of the past 11 meetings with Oakland, dating to 2019.
“It was awesome,” Blue Jays Manager Charlie Montoyo said. “What a great win.”
Toronto’s Teoscar Hernandez hit a tying two-run home run in the fourth before Oakland pulled away for an 8-2 lead. Gurriel’s slam capped a six-run eighth against Lou Trivino and Yusmeiro Petit to tie it again.
Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano (7-1) gave up Mark Canha’s two-run home run in the top of the ninth before Romo allowed a single, a double and Semien’s shot.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. fueled the eighth-inning surge with an RBI single off Trivino, who left after loading the bases. Petit came on and walked Alejandro Kirk, then gave up a firstpitch home run to Gurriel.
Matt Olson reached on an infield single to begin the ninth. Romano struck out the next two batters, but Canha lined his first pitch off the foul screen in left, his 15th.
Tony Kemp added a two-run home run for the Athletics, his sixth.
Oakland’s collapse denied lefthander Sean Manea his first victory since July 28. After going 0-3 with a 9.90 ERA in five August starts, Manea allowed two runs and five hits. He walked none and struck out nine.
“I felt really good,” Manea said. “My tempo, I felt, was a lot better than it has been recently.”
Blue Jays right-hander Alek Manoah allowed six runs and five hits in five-plus innings.
The benches cleared briefly after Manoah hit batters with consecutive pitches in the fifth. Josh Harrison flipped his bat in frustration after being hit with a high and tight fastball, and he was visibly angry after Manoah’s next offering hit Starling Marte on the side of the helmet. YANKEES 4, ORIOLES 3 (11) Giancarlo Stanton led off the 11th inning with an RBI single and New York knocked off Baltimore.
RED SOX 8, INDIANS 5 Kyle Schwarber hit a leadoff home run in the first inning, then delivered a tiebreaking, two-run double in the seventh that sent Boston over Cleveland.
RAYS 5, TWINS 3 Michael Wacha struck out seven over six innings, Kevin Kiermaier had an RBI triple during a three-run second and Tampa Bay beat Minnesota.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
CARDINALS 15, BREWERS 4 Yadier Molina hit a grand slam and Harrison Bader had three hits and drove in three runs as St. Louis defeated Milwaukee.
ROCKIES 4, BRAVES 3 C.J. Cron broke a tie game with a sixth-inning single and Colorado defeated Atlanta.
MARLINS 10, PHILLIES 3 Miguel Rojas had two hits and three RBI during during a seven-run sixth inning and Miami beat Philadelphia, stopping the Phillies’ six-game winning streak. METS 6, NATIONALS 2 (10) Kevin Pillar drove in two with a 10th-inning double and New York recovered after blowing a late lead to beat Washington for its fifth consecutive win. CUBS 6, PIRATES 5 Chicago Manager David Ross and president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer missed the team’s victory over Pittsburgh after they tested positive for covid-19. Michael Hermosillo homered and drove in three runs, leading Chicago to its fourth consecutive win.
INTERLEAGUE
TIGERS 15, REDS 5 Dustin Garneau hit two home runs, Robbie Grossman had a three-run blast, and Detroit routed Cincinnati.