Blue Jays:  10  Athletics:  4

The A’s 7-game winning streak has come to an end after the Blue Jays knocked around the pitching staff this afternoon.  Tom Milone looked like his normal road self, allowing 6 runs (5 earned) on 8 hits, including 2 home runs, with no walks and striking out 7.

The A’s took an early 3-0 lead on a solo home run by Josh Reddick (his 22nd of the season) and a 2-run shot by Brandon Inge (his 11th of the season).  That lead was soon erased in the bottom of the 4th when Milone allowed a 3-run home run to Edwin Encarnacion.

The A’s regained the lead again the following inning on an RBI ground out by Josh Reddick, but that would be the last run they would score in the game.  Milone lost the lead in the 6th inning when Travis Snider laid down a safety squeeze bunt, allowing Colby Rasmus to score from third and a throwing error by Milone himself allowed for the 2nd run to score.  Milone’s last run allowed was a solo home run by Kelly Johnson in the 7th.

A’s Extras:

• The A’s only had 5 hits today, they also had 3 walks and struck out 9 times.  Not one player in the lineup had a multi-hit day.
• Sean Doolittle did not have a good day, allowing 3 hits and 4 runs over 2/3 of an inning.
• The A’s released (RHP) Chris Ray earlier today after he requested his release.  He pitched in 6 games for the Rivercats he allowed 7 hits and 4 runs over 6 innings.

Athletics:  6  Twins:  3

Well it wasn’t a pretty win, but it was a win.  The A’s had trouble at the plate tonight, striking out 15 times over the first 8 innings in the game.  The only player to not strike out tonight was the free swinging Yoenis Cespedes.

Lines of the Day:

• Jonny Gomes:  4 AB, 2 H, 5 RBI.  Jonny Gomes first got the A’s on the board in the 4th when he hit a grand slam off of Francisco Liriano.  He then later singled in Yoenis Cespedes in the top of the 9th to collect his 5th RBI of the night.
• Yoenis Cespedes: 4 AB, 2 H, 2 R.  After leaving the game last Sunday with a thumb injury it was nice to see Cespedes have a multi-hit game.  He did DH tonight, but could return to the outfield as early as tomorrow.

Ugly Lines of the Day:

• Brandon Hicks:  4 AB, 0 H, 4 SO.  Not only did Hicks wear the golden sombrero tonight, he also committed his 2nd error of the season in the 4th inning.
• Coco Crisp:  4 AB, 0 H, 3 SO.  There were quite a few O-fers tonight in the lineup, but Crisp and Hicks almost combined for half the strikeouts alone.

A’s Extras:

• A.J. Griffin collected his first major league win tonight.  He did have his “poorest” outing of the season allowing 3 earned runs on 8 hits and 1 walk over 6 innings.  His only 2 mistakes were 2 home runs to Josh Willingham, a solo in the second and a 2-run shot in the 4th.
• Jemile Weeks went 2-4 today with a double.
• Sean Doolittle pitched 1.2 innings of relief today, he allowed 1 hit, 1 walk and struck out 2.  He has only allowed 2 runs over his last 10 appearances (14.1 innings) and has struck out 22.
• Ryan Cook collected his 9th save of the season tonight.  He pitched a clean 9th and did not allow a hit or a walk and struck out 2.
• The A’s placed (RHP) Jim Miller on the paternity leave list earlier today and recalled (LHP) Pedro Figueroa from Triple-A Sacramento to replace him.
• The A’s also signed (RHP) Chris Ray today.  Ray was let go by the Indians last week after he requested to be released.  He pitched in 33 games of relief for the Indian’s Triple-A affiliate this season and during that time he had a 2-4 record with a 2.75 ERA, a 3.02 ERA and a 7.50 K/SO rate.