Throwing Error Costs A's as Blue Jays Win in Extra Innings

Kelley L Cox/US Presswire

In an uncharacteristic manner, Ryan Cook blew his second save in as many days as the Toronto Blue Jays stole a game from the Oakland A's at the Coliseum on Saturday afternoon.

AJ Griffin, who started the game for Oakland, exited in the second inning due to shoulder tightness. An MRI would reveal nothing serious, though. 

But for the time being, Griffin's sudden absence put Bob Melvin and the A's in emergency mode. The bullpen had been taxed due to yesterday's fifteen inning marathon, and they would have to be depended on again today to complete the remainder of the game.

Meanwhile, the A's would get on the board in the bottom of the second on a Derek Norris double that scored Brandon Inge to take a 1-0 lead.

Then the bullpen would take things over for Oakland in grand style. Jordan Norberto, Pat Neshek and Grant Balfour would pitch six-plus scoreless innings to hold the run one lead. That's exactly how you pick up an injured teammate.

But then came the aforementioned blown save. Ryan Cook entered in the ninth and promptly gave up the lead on a solo blast by David Cooper to right center.

So we would go to extras, which generally means an A's walk-off win. But not on this night.

In the top of the eleventh, with Jerry Blevins on the hill for Oakland, a throwing error by catcher George Kottaras would cost them the game. With runners on first and second and one out, the Blue Jays attempted to execute a double-steal. Jeff Mathis, the batter, struck out swinging on the pitch, but Kottaras' throw to third would sail over Inge's head and into left field, allowing Edwin Encarnacion to trot home to score the go-ahead run. Then on the very next pitch, Moises Sierra would stroke a double into the left field corner, scoring an insurance run to make it 3-1 Blue Jays.

The A's were retired 1-2-3 in the bottom half of the eleventh, and that would be your ballgame.

Posted in: AJ Griffin,David Cooper,Edwin Encarnacion,Oakland Athletics,Ryan Cook,Toronto Blue Jays