Harden Has Strong Outing, A's Defeat Blue Jays
TORONTO (CBS / AP) -- Josh Willingham and Kurt Suzuki homered, Rich Harden pitched seven strong innings for his first career win over Toronto, and the Oakland Athletics beat the Blue Jays 4-1 on Tuesday night.
Harden (3-2) came in 0-3 with a 5.74 ERA in eight starts against the Blue Jays, including 0-2 with a 13.50 ERA in three starts north of the border. But he was in command for much of this one, allowing just five hits over seven innings. He walked two and struck out eight to win his second straight decision.
Grant Balfour worked the eighth and Andrew Bailey pitched around a leadoff walk in the ninth to earn his 14th save in 16 opportunities.
The Athletics have won three straight games and have homered in a season-high seven straight, connecting 11 times in that span.
Willingham erased a 1-0 deficit with a two-run drive to left in the sixth, his 18th of the season and fifth in the past 10 games.
Suzuki added some insurance with a leadoff shot in the seventh that landed in the second deck in left, his 10th.
Both homers came off left-hander Brett Cecil, who lost for the first time since July 5 at Boston, snapping a five-start unbeaten streak. Cecil (4-5) allowed three runs and four hits in seven innings. He walked two and struck out five.
Oakland tacked on one more in the ninth. Luis Perez hit David DeJesus with a pitch and was replaced by Shawn Camp. Suzuki reached on a bunt single and Ryan Sweeney followed with a base hit up the middle, scoring DeJesus.
Edwin Encarnacion provided Toronto's only run with a leadoff homer in the second, his 10th.
The crowd of 20,521 gave Canadian-born third baseman Brett Lawrie a standing ovation before his first home at-bat. Lawrie, who went 5 for 11 in Baltimore over the weekend after being promoted to the majors on Friday, struck out on three pitches.
Encarnacion walked to begin the seventh and went to third on a single by Colby Rasmus. Harden got Aaron Hill to pop up, struck out J.P. Arencibia, then fanned Lawrie on a 3-2 changeup to end the threat. Lawrie finished 0 for 3 with two strikeouts.
Blue Jays outfielder Eric Thames hit a one-out double off Balfour in the eighth, just his second hit in 34 at-bats, and moved to third on Jose Bautista's grounder. Adam Lind lined out to left for the final out.
NOTES: Oakland OF Coco Crisp, who strained a calf last Saturday, was expected to miss the entire series at Toronto but felt better after receiving treatment and could return Thursday, manager Bob Melvin said. ... Conor Jackson returned to Oakland's lineup after missing the past two games because of back spasms. He started at first base. ... The Blue Jays purchased the contract of RHP Henderson Alvarez from Double-A New Hampshire and outrighted LHP Wilfredo Ledezma to Triple-A Las Vegas. Alvarez will make his major league debut against Oakland on Wednesday, facing LHP Gio Gonzalez (9-9).
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