Game Thread #136: A’s at Blue Jays

The Oakland A’s took perhaps their worst loss of the season last night, blowing an 8-2 lead in the 8th inning, and then taking a 10-8 lead in the 9th and blowing that too on a walk-off homer by their own former teammate Marcus Semien.

But today is a new day. The A’s are three games out of the Second Wild Card spot with 27 to go, and Saturday brings another chance against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Oakland puts Paul Blackburn on the mound, for the fourth time this year. In his first three starts he kept the team competitive each time, never finishing six innings but never allowing more than three runs. In his last appearance he tossed five scoreless frames against the New York Yankees.

The A’s lineup is missing CF Starling Marte, who was hit in the head by a pitch last night. He’s feeling better and they don’t think he has a concussion, but they’re being cautious before putting him back into a game, per insider Martin Gallegos.

A’s lineup (away)

1. SS Josh Harrison (R)
2. 2B Tony Kemp (L)
3. 1B Matt Olson (L)
4. 3B Matt Chapman (R)
5. DH Jed Lowrie (S)
6. LF Mark Canha (R)
7. RF Chad Pinder (R)
8. C Yan Gomes (R)
9. CF Skye Bolt (S)

• RHP Paul Blackburn

Still no Khris Davis in the starting lineup.

Blue Jays lineup (home)

1. DH George Springer (R)
2. 2B Marcus Semien (R)
3. 1B Vlad Guerrero Jr (R)
4. SS Bo Bichette (R)
5. RF Teoscar Hernandez (R)
6. LF Lourdes Gurriel Jr (R)
7. CF Corey Dickerson (L)
8. 3B Breyvic Valera (S)
9. C Danny Jansen (R)

• RHP Jose Berrios

Let’s go Oakland!

How To Watch

• Date: Saturday, September 4
• Time: 12:07 p.m. PT
• TV (local): NBC Sports California
• Radio: 960 AM (more listings here)
• Streaming (watch): NBCS website (with cable sub)
• Streaming (listen): A’s Cast