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Blue Jays, A's wrap up four-game set

Aug 5, 2012 - 3:00 PM (Sports Network) - After a marathon weekend that has included two extra-inning bouts, the Oakland Athletics will try to close out their four-game series versus the Toronto Blue Jays with a win Sunday at the Coliseum.

After a 4-1 win on Thursday, Oakland outlasted the Blue Jays in Friday night's game with a 5-4 walkoff win in 15 innings. The roles were reversed on Saturday with the teams again needing extra innings to reach a decision.

The Blue Jays tied the score in the ninth inning for the second straight game when David Cooper hit a solo home run in the top of the inning, but this time around they were able to capture a 3-1 win in extra innings.

It only took 11 innings but the Blue Jays scored a run on a throwing error by A's catcher George Kottaras, and Moises Sierra followed that up with an RBI double to put the Blue Jays ahead for good.

Ricky Romero started the game for Toronto and pitched one of his best games of the season, allowing just one run over seven innings of work. Unfortunately he did not factor in the decision. Jesse Chavez pitched a scoreless 10th to get the win for Toronto and Darren Oliver got his second save after pitching a perfect 11th.

The Blue Jays' win snaps a lengthy six-game losing streak.

The Athletics had only four hits in the game with their lone run coming on an RBI double from Derek Norris in the second inning.

"Our offense was a little off today," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "We didn't get too many hits, but again later in the game we had some opportunities to score some runs, but we didn't."

Ryan Cook blew Oakland's 1-0 lead in the ninth for his second blow save in as many days and Jerry Blevins allowed the two winning runs over his two innings of work to take the loss.

Oakland starter A.J. Griffin left Saturday's game in the second inning with tightness in his right shoulder.

Tommy Milone makes the start in the series finale on Sunday.

The 25-year-old has been a very reliable starter in just his second season in the majors. After making five starts as a member of the Washington Nationals last season, Milone is 9-8 with a 3.68 ERA in 21 starts this season for Oakland. Along with wins he also leads the team in innings pitched (134 1/3) and strikeouts (97).

After having a stellar beginning to the season in home starts, Milone had less command in his last start. The former 10th-round draft pick allowed five runs on seven hits over six innings of work in an 8-0 loss to Tampa Bay. The performance brought is ERA at home up from 0.91 to 1.51. The performance was also the second straight start, the first coming against Toronto, in which Milone has allowed five or more runs. He allowed five total runs in his previous six starts.

In the start against Toronto, Milone allowed six runs, five earned, on eight hits over seven innings of work in a 10-4 loss. It was his first career appearance against Toronto.

Aaron Laffey will get the nod to start the series finale for Toronto.

The 27-year-old spent the first two months of the season with Triple-A Las Vegas before being called up in mid-June. Since then he has made 11 total appearances, seven of which have been starts. In that time he is 2-2 with a 4.20 ERA. He is 2-2 with a 4.46 ERA as a starter with a 3.00 ERA as a reliever this season.

LAffey's last outing was one to forget. The left-hander allowed seven runs on nine hits and didn't make it past the fifth inning in a 7-2 loss to Seattle. The outing pushed his ERA up by almost a run from 3.22 to 4.20.

In the start before that one Laffey made his only appearance of the season against Oakland. It was a bit better with Laffey allowing four runs on five hits in 5 2/3 innings of work. He is 1-1 with a 3.10 ERA in seven career appearances, two of which are starts, against Oakland.

Oakland still holds a 5-3 edge in the season series between these squads.