Athletics 8 Blue Jays 5
OAKLAND, Calif. — Ryan Sweeney drove in three runs, Dallas Braden won for the first time in four starts and the Oakland Athletics beat the Toronto Blue Jays 8-5 on Friday night.
Rajai Davis had two hits and scored twice for the A’s, who traded shortstop Orlando Cabrera to the Minnesota Twins earlier in the day.
Braden wasn’t his sharpest, giving up five runs in 6 2/3 innings, but the left-hander hung around long enough to win for the first time since July 11.
Adam Lind had three hits, including a two-run homer in the seventh, for Toronto. The Blue Jays’ third straight loss dropped them a season-high five games under .500.
Andrew Bailey pitched a scoreless ninth for his ninth consecutive save and 14th in 18 chances.
The loss came at the end of a long day for Toronto, which traded third baseman Scott Rolen to Cincinnati for infielder Edwin Encarnacion, right-hander Josh Roenicke and a minor leaguer.
Braden (8-9) scattered eight hits and struck out one.
Cliff Pennington, called up from triple-A Sacramento to replace Cabrera, started at shortstop and went 1-for-3 and scored a run.
Every Oakland starter had at least one hit and six different players scored. The A’s led 4-0 then batted around during a four-run fourth to break the game open.
Sweeney had a two-run single in the first off Toronto starter Scott Richmond of North Vancouver, B.C. (6-6), and drew a bases-loaded walk in the fourth to give Oakland a 6-0 lead.