A’s pitchers battered by Toronto, Marcus Semien as they lose three of four in series

OAKLAND — It’s safe to say the Athletics miss Marcus Semien.

They miss having him around the clubhouse and said as much when their former shortstop made his first trip to the Coliseum this week with the Toronto Blue Jays as a second baseman.

But where Semien is really missed is on the field, as was evident in a 10-4 loss to Toronto Thursday at the Coliseum before a crowd of 3,611.

Semien had four hits, including a double and a home run, and Randal Grichuk drove in five runs with a home run and a double as the A’s split the four-game series and fell to 19-14.

OAKLAND, CA – MAY 6: Oakland Athletics’ Elvis Andrus (17) and Matt Chapman (26) chat with former teammate Toronto Blue Jays’ Marcus Semien (10) in the third inning of a MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, May 6, 2021. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group) 

The Blue Jays (16-14) had 16 hits against five A’s pitchers. Semien’s home run, his seventh, put Toronto up 10-4 in the seventh. Danny Jansen also homered for Toronto, his first. For the A’s, Mark Canha had his first leadoff home run, his fifth of the season.

For those keeping score, Elvis Andrus, the shortstop the A’s acquired after Semien left in free agency, continued to be mired in a season-long slump, going 0-for-4 and poetically popping to Semien at second to end the game.

Hyun Jin Ryu (2-2) gave up six hits and four earned runs through five innings, walking one and striking out six. Toronto got scoreless relief from Travis Bergen and Joel Payamps.

OAKLAND, CA – MAY 6: Oakland Athletics’ Elvis Andrus (17) reacts after making the last out of the ninth inning to end their game against the Toronto Blue Jays at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, May 6, 2021. The A’s lost 10-4 to the Blue Jays. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group) 

The Blue Jays added on to their lead against reliever Sergio Romo in the sixth, with Teoscar Hernandez hitting a two-run single and Grichuk a two-run double in  span of four pitches in relief of Deolis Guerra.

Semien reached on a one-out bloop single, with Bichette following with a single. Vladimir Guerrero’s comebacker to Guerra was a potential inning-ending double play, but Guerra threw the ball in the dirt and Kemp couldn’t come up with it, loading the bases.

Romo came in and gave up a the first-pitch single to Hernandez to bring in two runs and then Grichuk’s double plated two more. Romo finished the inning limping, having apparently injured his knee backing up on an overthrown relay from the outfield, sliding to get the ball before it rolled into the A’s dugout.

A’s starter Mike Fiers (0-2) didn’t make it through the fourth, departing with a 5-4 deficit following Jansen’s two-run home run. It came after Johnathan Davis led off with a single.

After the home run, Fiers did get out Semien for the first time on a fly to right, but was pulled after Bo Bichette’s infield single during which Fiers couldn’t make it to the bag on time to cover.

Guerra came on, and although Bichette stole two bases against him and Hernandez one, he got out of the inning without giving up another run

OAKLAND, CA – MAY 6: Oakland Athletics reliever Deolis Guerra (65) pitches against the Toronto Blue Jays in the fourth inning of a MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, May 6, 2021. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group) 

The Athletics took a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the third on Matt Olson’s RBI double and Sean Murphy’s two-run single, both with two out against Ryu.

Kemp got things started with a one-out single, reaching second and avoiding a double play by running on a pitch in which Canha grounded to short. Ramon Laureano walked, and Olson launched a ball down the right field line that looked as it would drive in two runs. When it skipped over the fence for a ground rule double, Laureano was forced to hold up a third.

Murphy made sure it didn’t matter, lining a single down the field field line to drive in Laureano and Olson for a one-run lead.

Fiers couldn’t escape damage in the third inning, with Grichuk’s three-run home run with two out giving Toronto a 3-1 lead.

OAKLAND, CA – MAY 6: Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Mike Fiers (50) celebrates after catcher Sean Murphy (12) throws out oronto Blue Jays’ Bo Bichette (11) at first base in the third inning of a MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, May 6, 2021. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group) 

Semien opened with a double down the field field line, with Bichette following with a walk. Fiers struck out Guerrero, with Bichette inexplicably getting far enough off first base (with a runner at second) for Murphy at catcher to pick him off for a double play.

With the door open for Fiers to get out of it, he walked Hernandez and then served up the three-run bomb to Grichuk to left center.

Despite giving up three hits in the first two innings, Fiers threw just 20 pitches before laboring through a 33-pitch third inning.

Canha’s home run was the first to lead off a game in his career. He hit a 1-0 pitch from Ryu, and was struck with enough authority to left fielder that Canha took time to admire it as it left the park.

OAKLAND, CA – MAY 6: Oakland Athletics’ Mark Canha (20) celebrates with teammate Matt Olson (28) after scoring on a solo home run in the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays in a MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, May 6, 2021. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group)