Athletics 2 - 5 Blue Jays
Final
  for this game

Jays eye 5th straight win versus A's

May 24, 2014 - 2:09 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Toronto Blue Jays will try to claim the weekend series and earn their fifth straight victory on Saturday afternoon when they host the Oakland Athletics at Rogers Centre.

Toronto ran out to a 3-0 lead after three innings on Friday night and held on for the 3-2 victory to extend its winning streak.

Steve Tolleson got the scoring started with a two-run home run in the second inning, his first of the season. Jose Reyes added an RBI groundout in the third, plating what proved to be the game-winning run.

Liam Hendriks (1-0) pitched 5 2/3 innings in the win, allowing just three hits and one earned run in his season and team debut.

"I was given opportunities in Minnesota and didn't capitalize on them," said Hendriks, who had a 6.06 ERA from 2011-13 with the Twins. "Now I've got a different mindset coming into the season, getting aggressive and getting after guys early and it's paying dividends already."

Casey Janssen closed the door in the ninth inning for his sixth save.

Scott Kazmir (5-2) was the hard-luck loser, lasting seven innings and yielding only five hits, a walk and three runs.

Brandon Moss belted his 11th home run of the season in the fourth inning for the visitors and Alberto Callaspo had an RBI single in the eighth.

Coco Crisp doubled with two outs in the ninth and proceeded to steal third, but he was stranded as the A's fell just short.

Jesse Chavez will attempt to continue his career revitalization on Saturday. The 30-year-old journeyman has been an unexpected stalwart in the A's rotation, going 4-1 with a 2.54 ERA, striking out 57 in 56 2/3 innings while allowing just 15 walks.

Chavez has won three of his last four starts, including on May 18 at Cleveland when he went five innings and allowed two earned runs while punching out six.

Chavez has performed even better on the road this season (2.32 ERA) than at home (2.81).

R.A. Dickey will get the nod for the Blue Jays. The 2012 National League Cy Young Award winner struggled out of the gate this season, allowing five earned runs or more in three of his first four starts, but he has since yielded three or fewer runs in six straight to lower his ERA to 4.20.

Dickey fell to 4-4 on the campaign in his latest outing. Although he allowed just six baserunners in 6 1/3 innings, he gave up three earned runs as the Jays fell on the wrong end of a 6-2 decision versus Texas on May 18.

Dickey, who'll turn 40 in October, has done his best work at Rogers Centre this season, going 4-1 with a 3.05 ERA, 36 strikeouts and just 12 walks (14 Ks, 18 BBs on the road).

Oakland has won eight of the last 12 meetings in Toronto.






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