Jeff McNeil beat out a slow roller to shortstop with two outs in the ninth Monday, giving the Athletics a 6-5 walk-off victory over the Toronto Blue Jays at Sutter Health Park.
Toronto challenged the play at first, but the call stood after review. Donovan Walton scored from third as McNeil reached safely, ending a game in which the A’s had watched an early four-run lead disappear.
Henry Bolte homered, scored three times, walked three times and stole three bases. Meanwhile, Zack Gelof drove in two runs as the Athletics took the series opener.
McNeil wins it after review
The A’s entered the ninth leading 5-4, but Andrés Giménez tied the game with a one-out solo homer against Hogan Harris.
Harris recovered to finish the inning. Then Max Muncy opened the bottom half with an infield single against Louis Varland.
Darell Hernaiz pinch-ran before Walton walked. Alika Williams attempted to bunt the runners over, but Toronto forced Hernaiz at third.
Jonah Heim followed with a lineout, leaving the A’s down to their final out with runners at first and second.
Bolte then drew his third walk of the night to load the bases.
McNeil hit a slow grounder to Giménez at shortstop and raced down the line. Giménez’s throw was close, but first-base umpire Bill Miller ruled McNeil safe as Walton crossed the plate.
Toronto challenged the call. After review, the ruling was upheld and the Athletics had their 6-5 win.
Bolte creates havoc
Bolte began affecting the game immediately.
He walked to open the first, stole second and scored on Gelof’s ground-rule double. Gelof later scored on Kazuma Okamoto’s throwing error during a caught-stealing play, putting the A’s ahead 2-0.
Then Bolte walked again in the third. He stole both second and third before scoring on Gelof’s fielder’s choice.
Gelof stole second and third himself before Carlos Cortes singled him home for a 4-1 advantage.
Bolte added his ninth homer in the fifth, stretching the lead to 5-1.
He finished with three runs, three walks, three stolen bases and the home run. Notably, he became the first Athletic since Rickey Henderson on Oct. 5, 1991, to homer and steal at least three bases in the same game.
Toronto erases the lead
Jacob Lopez kept Toronto quiet after allowing Alejandro Kirk’s solo homer in the second.
However, the Blue Jays broke through in the seventh.
Kazuma Okamoto led off with his 29th homer. Nathan Lukes and Ernie Clement followed with singles before Giménez doubled home Lukes.
Lopez was removed after facing four batters in the inning. His final line was six innings, seven hits and four earned runs with one walk and one strikeout.
Luis Medina entered and allowed Clement to score on Josh Smith’s sacrifice fly. Still, Medina caught Giménez stealing third and struck out Brett Bateman to keep the Athletics ahead 5-4.
Medina got two outs in the eighth before Harris stranded two inherited runners. Then Giménez tied it in the ninth, setting up McNeil’s answer.
Up next
The series continues Tuesday at Sutter Health Park. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. PT.
Jack Perkins is scheduled to start for the Athletics against Toronto right-hander José Soriano.
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Dice City Sports editor Mark Hebert covers the Las Vegas Aces, Vegas Golden Knights, Las Vegas Raiders, Athletics, and UNLV baseball and softball. He has 24 years of journalism experience, is also a senior reporter at Exhibit City News, and previously covered the Dallas Stars and Texas Rangers. Follow him on X or connect on LinkedIn.
