Toronto at Athletics

Toronto at Athletics

This is Missed It. Toronto at Athletics, Monday, September 7, 84 and clear at Sutter Health Park, with the Blue Jays. You missed it? Here's the whole game, as it happened.

Pregame

It's Toronto Blue Jays against the Athletics, and we've got a full nine innings ahead of us. The Jays are on the road, looking to grab this one from the A's. First pitch is moments away, and we're all here for it. Let's get into it.

Innings 1-3

Top of the first, and we're just getting started. The Jays send three batters to the plate, and it's a quick inning. No runs, score stays at zero-zero. Nothing doing there, but it's early. Bottom of the first, and the Athletics come out swinging. They're not wasting any time. With one out and a runner on, Zack Gelof steps in. He gets a pitch he likes and drives it down the left-field line. It's a line drive, it bounces, and it rolls to the wall. Ground-rule double. Henry Bolte comes around to score, and just like that, it's one-nothing Athletics. The crowd is into it, and we're already chasing. But the inning isn't over. The A's keep pushing. With two outs and two runners on, Max Muncy is at the plate. The tension is building. The pitch comes in, Muncy swings, and it's a foul tip. The catcher holds on. Strike three. Inning over. The damage is done though, two runs in. Score is two-nothing Athletics, and we've got some work to do. Top of the second, and we need an answer. The Jays send six batters to the plate this time, and it doesn't take long to get something going. No outs, bases empty, and Alejandro Kirk steps in. He gets a pitch he can handle, and he launches it. Fly ball to right center field, and it's gone. Home run. Kirk ties it up at one-two. That's what we needed. A little life, a little spark. The bench is up, the dugout is buzzing, and we're back in this thing. Bottom of the second, and the Athletics send three batters up. Quick inning, no runs. Score stays at one-two. We'll take that. Top of the third, and the Jays are back at it. Three batters, no runs. The score remains one-two. We're not stringing anything together yet, but we're hanging in there. Bottom of the third, and the Athletics are looking to add on. With one out and a runner on, Zack Gelof is up again. He hits a ground ball to third, and Kazuma Okamoto fields it. Gelof reaches on a fielder's choice, and Henry Bolte comes in to score. It's one-three now, and the A's are stretching their lead. That one stings a little. But they're not done. With two outs and a runner on, Carlos Cortes steps in. He lines one to right field, Nathan Lukes is there but can't get to it. Single. Zack Gelof scores, and it's one-four. The Athletics are pulling away, and we're in a hole. Three innings in, and we've got a lot of ground to make up.

Innings 4-6

Top of the fourth, and we need to get something going. The Jays send three batters up, and it's another quiet inning. No runs. Score stays at one-four. We're pressing, but nothing's falling. Bottom of the fourth, and the Athletics send three batters to the plate. Quick work, no runs. Score remains one-four. We'll take the shutdown, but we need runs. Top of the fifth, and the Jays are back. Three batters, no runs again. The score is still one-four. This is getting frustrating. We're getting pitches, we're making contact, but nothing's finding grass. Bottom of the fifth, and the Athletics are at it again. No outs, bases empty, and Henry Bolte steps in. He gets a pitch he likes, and he doesn't miss it. Fly ball to right field, and it's gone. Home run. One-five. That one hurts. The A's are pouring it on, and we're staring at a four-run deficit. Top of the sixth, and we need a spark. Four batters come up this time, but still no runs. The score remains one-five. We're running out of time, and the bats are cold. Bottom of the sixth, and the Athletics send three batters up. No runs. Score stays at one-five. We're heading into the stretch, and we've got a mountain to climb.

The Stretch

So here we are, down one-five after six. It's been a tough half, no question. The play that turned this one, looking back, was Alejandro Kirk's home run in the top of the second. It tied the game at one-two, and for a moment, it felt like we were right there. But the Athletics answered, and they kept answering. Every time we got a little life, they took it right back. Now we need something big. We need the bats to wake up, we need some breaks to go our way, and we need to believe we can dig out of this. It's not over yet.

The Sequence

Top of the seventh, and this is where it has to happen. The Jays come out with something to prove. No outs, two runners on, and Andrés Giménez steps in. He gets a pitch and drives it to left field. Henry Bolte is tracking it, but it's over his head. Double. Nathan Lukes scores, Ernie Clement moves to third. It's three-five, and the dugout is alive. We're chipping away. No outs, still two on, and Josh Smith is up. He gets a pitch and lifts it to left field. Henry Bolte settles under it, makes the catch. But Ernie Clement tags up and comes home. Sacrifice fly. It's four-five, and we're within one. The crowd on our side is roaring. This is a ballgame again. Bottom of the seventh, and the Athletics send four batters up. No runs. Score stays at four-five. We've got the momentum, and we're not letting go. Top of the eighth, and the Jays are looking to tie it. Five batters come up, but we can't push one across. No runs. Score remains four-five. So close, but we're still chasing. Bottom of the eighth, and the Athletics send three batters up. Quick inning, no runs. Score stays at four-five. We're heading to the ninth, and we need one run just to stay alive. Top of the ninth, and this is it. One out, bases empty, and Andrés Giménez steps in again. He's already had a big day. He gets a pitch, and he doesn't miss. Fly ball to right center field, and it's gone. Home run. Tie game. Five-five. The bench empties, the dugout is electric, and we've done it. We've fought all the way back. Bottom of the ninth, and now it's on our pitching. The Athletics are up, and they're not going quietly. Two outs, and the bases are loaded. This is the moment. Jeff McNeil steps in. He hits a soft ground ball to shortstop Andrés Giménez. The play is close at first. The Blue Jays challenge the call. We wait. The umpires review it. The call on the field is upheld. McNeil is safe. Donovan Walton scores, Alika Williams moves to third, Henry Bolte to second. It's five-six. The Athletics walk it off. And just like that, it's over.

Wrap-up

Final score, five-six. Athletics by one. We fought all the way back from down four, tied it in the ninth, and then watched it slip away on a soft ground ball. That one's going to sting. But we didn't quit. We never quit. We'll take this one on the chin, and we'll be back tomorrow. That's all we can do.

Outro

That was Toronto at Athletics, from the Blue Jays side. This has been Missed It. Every game, both sides, at missed it dot net. Produced by James Barrett.

Toronto at Athletics

This is Missed It. Toronto at Athletics, Monday, September 7, 84 and clear at Sutter Health Park, with the Athletics. You missed it? Here's the whole game, as it happened.

Pregame

It's a fresh one here at the Coliseum, folks. The Toronto Blue Jays are in town, and we've got the Athletics ready to go. First pitch is moments away, and the energy is building. We've got a good one on our hands, and we're looking to get off on the right foot. Let's play ball.

Innings 1-3

Top of the first, and our guy on the mound is looking sharp. Three batters come up, three batters go down. No runs, no damage, score stays at zero-zero. That's the kind of start we want to see. Now it's our turn. Bottom of the first, and we're already making noise. One out, and there's a runner on. Zack Gelof steps in, and he rips a line drive down the left-field line. That ball is fair, it bounces, and it's over the fence for a ground-rule double. Henry Bolte comes around to score, and just like that, we're on the board. One-nothing, Athletics. The crowd is on their feet, and we're feeling it. Two outs now, and we've got two runners on. Max Muncy is at the plate, looking to add to the lead. The pitch comes in, Muncy swings, and it's a foul tip. Strike three. He's out, and the inning comes to an end. But we've got the lead, two to nothing, and that's all that matters right now. Top of the second, and the Blue Jays are looking to answer. No outs, bases empty, and Alejandro Kirk steps in. He gets a pitch he likes, and he sends it deep to right center field. That ball is gone. A solo homer, and just like that, it's a two-one ballgame. We gave one back, but we're still in front. Bottom of the second, and we go down in order. Three batters, no runs. The score stays at two-one, and we're still holding the lead. Top of the third, and Toronto goes quietly. Three up, three down. No runs, and we're back to the bats. Bottom of the third, and we're looking to add on. One out, and there's a runner on. Zack Gelof is up again, and he hits a ground ball to third. Kazuma Okamoto fields it, but the throw isn't in time. Gelof reaches on a fielder's choice, and Henry Bolte scores. It's three-one, Athletics, and we're building a cushion. Two outs now, and there's a runner on. Carlos Cortes steps in, and he lines one to right field. Nathan Lukes can't get there, and it falls in for a single. Zack Gelof comes around to score, and it's four-one. We're rolling now, folks. Four runs through three, and we're in control.

Innings 4-6

Top of the fourth, and the Blue Jays are trying to claw back. Three batters come up, and three batters go down. No runs, and the score stays at four-one. Bottom of the fourth, and we can't get anything going. Three up, three down. No runs, but we've still got the lead, and that's what counts. Top of the fifth, and Toronto is still searching. Three batters, no runs. We're cruising, and the defense is holding strong. Bottom of the fifth, and we're looking to put this one away. No outs, bases empty, and Henry Bolte steps in. He gets a pitch he can handle, and he sends it deep to right field. That ball is gone. A solo homer, and it's five-one, Athletics. The crowd is loving it, and we're feeling good about where we stand. Top of the sixth, and the Blue Jays make a little noise. Four batters come up, but they can't push a run across. No runs, and the score stays at five-one. Bottom of the sixth, and we go quietly again. Three batters, no runs. But we've got a four-run lead, and we're heading into the stretch with all the momentum.

The Stretch

So here we are, folks. Five to one, Athletics, and we're feeling pretty good about ourselves. The play that turned this half was Alejandro Kirk's homer in the top of the second. It cut our lead to one at the time, but we answered right back, and we've been in control ever since. We've got the bats working, the defense is solid, and the pitching has been sharp. But we know the game isn't over. Toronto is a tough team, and they're not going to go down without a fight. We need to keep the pressure on, keep scoring, and close this one out. The crowd is behind us, and we're ready for the final stretch.

The Sequence

Top of the seventh, and things are about to get interesting. No outs, two on, and Andrés Giménez steps in for Toronto. He lines one to left field, and Henry Bolte can't make the play. It's a double, and Nathan Lukes scores. Ernie Clement moves to third, and just like that, it's five-two. The lead is shrinking, and we're feeling the pressure. No outs still, two on, and Josh Smith comes up. He hits a fly ball to left, and Henry Bolte makes the catch. Ernie Clement tags up and scores. It's five-three, and the Blue Jays are right back in this thing. The momentum has shifted, and we need to stop the bleeding. Bottom of the seventh, and we need an answer. Four batters come up, but we can't push a run across. No runs, and the score stays at five-three. We're still in front, but it's getting tight. Top of the eighth, and Toronto is still pushing. Five batters come up, but we hold the line. No runs, and the score stays at five-three. We're hanging on, but just barely. Bottom of the eighth, and we go down in order. Three batters, no runs. The score is still five-three, and we're heading to the ninth with a two-run lead. Top of the ninth, and this is it. One out, bases empty, and Andrés Giménez steps in again. He gets a pitch he likes, and he sends it deep to right center field. That ball is gone. A solo homer, and it's five-five. The game is tied, and the air has been sucked out of this place. We had it, and now we're fighting for our lives. Bottom of the ninth, and we need a hero. Two outs, and the bases are loaded. Jeff McNeil steps in, and he hits a soft ground ball to shortstop. Andrés Giménez fields it, but the throw is late. McNeil reaches on a single, and Donovan Walton comes around to score. Alika Williams moves to third, Henry Bolte to second, and it's six-five, Athletics. The Blue Jays challenged the play at first, but the call on the field was upheld. We win. We win.

Wrap-up

Final score, Toronto five, Athletics six. We did it, folks. We held on, we fought back, and we came away with the win. It wasn't pretty, and there were moments where it looked like it was slipping away. But we found a way, and that's what matters. This one is for the fans, for the city, and for everyone who bleeds green and gold. We'll take this one, and we'll move on to the next. Go Athletics.

Outro

That was Toronto at Athletics, from the Athletics side. This has been Missed It. Every game, both sides, at missed it dot net. Produced by James Barrett.