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Toronto Blue Jays edge Oakland A's on Steve Pearce's grand slam

By Larry Millson, The Sports Xchange
Steve Pearce and the Toronto Blue Jays squeaked past the Oakland athletics on Thursday. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI
Steve Pearce and the Toronto Blue Jays squeaked past the Oakland athletics on Thursday. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo

TORONTO -- Steve Pearce hit a game-ending grand slam off Liam Hendriks with two out in the bottom of the 10th inning on Thursday afternoon as the Toronto Blue Jays came back to defeat the Oakland Athletics 8-4.

The Blue Jays (48-54) completed a four-game sweep of the Athletics (44-58).

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Blue Jays manager John Gibbons, pitcher Marcus Stroman and catcher Russell Martin were ejected during the fifth inning in two separate arguments with home plate umpire Will Little about calls on balls and strikes.

Kendrys Morales tied the game in the ninth with his second solo homer of the game for the Blue Jays. Josh Donaldson added a solo shot for Toronto.

Toronto closer Roberto Osuna (3-0) pitched a perfect top of the 10th to earn the win.

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Hendriks (3-2), a former Blue Jay, walked Miguel Montero with one out in the bottom of the 10th and walked Justin Smoak and Morales with two out to load the bases for Pearce, who hit his ninth homer of the season on a 3-and-2 pitch.

In the fifth inning, Gibbons was in the dugout when he was ejected after ball two was called on A's batter Bruce Maxwell. Gibbons came out of the dugout to argue before departing with his fourth ejection.

After Maxwell walked -- the sixth of the day by Stroman -- an argument erupted. Stroman stormed from the mound and Martin restrained him as he attempted to get at Little. Stroman was ushered from the field by a coach. Martin left after talking to the umpires.

Montero replaced Martin behind the plate and Chris Smith replaced Stroman on the mound.

Stroman allowed six hits and three runs in 4 2/3 innings and did not factor in the decision. The right-hander also struck out four.

Oakland left-hander Sean Manaea allowed seven hits and three runs while striking out seven in seven innings and also did not factor in the decision.

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The Athletics scored three runs on the first inning. Walks to Matt Joyce and Khris Davis and a single by Marcus Semien loaded the bases. Ryon Healy brought home one run on a groundout to shortstop, and Maxwell hit a two-run single.

The Blue Jays answered with Donaldson's 10th homer of the season in the bottom of the first and Morales' first home run of the game in the fifth.

A double by Jose Bautista and a single by Smoak tied the game 3-3 in the sixth.

Toronto's Chris Smith pitched around a single in 1 1/3 innings before Joe Smith replaced him to work the seventh.

Troy Tulowitzki doubled and was thrown out at home on Darwin Barney's single to right to end the bottom of the seventh.

Ryan Tepera allowed a single to Oakland's Jaycob Brugman and issued a walk to pinch hitter Jed Lowie with one out in the top of the eighth. Semien singled to left with two out to put Oakland ahead 4-3.

Morales led off the ninth against Blake Treinen with his 20th homer of the season to tie the game 4-4.

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NOTES: Oakland RHP Ryan Dull (strained right knee) was reinstated from the disabled list Thursday, and C Josh Phegley (strained left oblique) was put on the 10-day DL. ... The A's selected C Ryan Lavarnway from Triple-A Nashville and RHP John Axford was designated for assignment. ...Toronto OF Anthony Alford (left hamate fracture) was reinstated from the disabled list and optioned to Double-A New Hampshire. ... Blue Jays LHP J.A. Happ (3-7, 4.13 ERA) will oppose Angels RHP Parker Bridwell (4-1, 3.09) in the opener of a three-game series in Toronto on Friday. ... A's RHP Daniel Gossett (2-5, 5.40) faces Twins LHP Jaime Garcia (4-7, 4.30) in the opener of a three-game series on Friday in Oakland.

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