Rookie Henry Bolte belted a solo homer and five pitchers combined on a shutout, fueling the Athletics to a 2-0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday afternoon in West Sacramento, Calif.
Tommy White scored on a wild pitch in the fourth inning for the Athletics (59-88), who have won six of their last eight games.
Max Muncy had two of his team’s four hits as the Athletics recorded their second home shutout of the season. They recorded a 5-0 win over the Los Angeles Angels on June 18.
Scott Blewett (2-0) relieved starter Brady Basso to start the fifth inning and ran into a bit of trouble, putting runners on the corners. Blewett, however, induced Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to ground into an inning-ending double play and benefited from another double play en route to working through the sixth.
Blewett allowed two hits in two scoreless innings before Luis Medina struck out a pair of batters in the seventh and Hogan Harris retired the side in order in the eighth.
Elvis Alvarado struck out two batters in the ninth inning to secure his sixth save of the season.
The Blue Jays (73-74) mustered six hits, which was more than the Athletics’ four, but struck out nine times en route to their third loss in their last four games.
Bolte deposited a 2-1 sweeper from Michael Lorenzen (3-12) over the wall in left-center field to open the scoring in the third inning. The homer was Bolte’s 10th of the season and fourth in his last eight games.
The Athletics doubled their advantage in the fourth inning.
White singled, advanced to third base on Max Muncy’s single and scored after Lorenzen uncorked a wild pitch.
Lorenzen relieved opener Braydon Fisher and permitted two runs on four hits in 2 2/3 innings.
The Athletics attempted to add to their lead in the seventh inning as Muncy walked and advanced to second base on a groundout. Two more groundouts followed to end the threat.
