Jeff McNeil legs out winning single in 9th, lifts A’s to 6-5 victory over Blue Jays

On September 7, 2026, Jeff McNeil’s infield single in the bottom of the ninth inning drove in the winning run as the Athletics edged the Toronto Blue Jays 6‑5 at West Sacramento, Calif. The Athletics had surrendered a four‑run lead earlier in the game before McNeil’s slow roller to shortstop beat the throw to first, plating the decisive tally with two outs and the bases loaded after Louis Varland (5‑5) walked Donovan Walton and Henry Bolte. Toronto answered in the ninth when Andrés Giménez launched a solo home run to knot the score at 5‑5, and later drove a deep ball off Hogan Harris (4‑2) with one out to preserve the tie before McNeil’s hit ended the contest. Giménez also contributed an RBI triple in the seventh inning that, together with a sacrifice fly from pinch‑hitter Josh Smith, gave the Blue Jays two additional runs after Kazuma Okamoto’s 29th homer off starter Jacob Lopez. Earlier, Dylan Cease allowed five runs—four earned—over five innings for Toronto, while Alejandro Kirk and Okamoto each homered for the visitors. Kirk’s shot to right‑center led off the second inning, and Okamoto’s blast came in the seventh. Oakland’s offense was sparked by Henry Bolte, who homered and scored three times from the leadoff spot. The rookie drew three walks and stole three bases, helping the Athletics rebound to a 5‑of‑6 record after a five‑game losing streak. Zack Gelof added a two‑run performance, homering and driving in a pair of runs while stealing two bases and scoring twice. His first RBI came on a ground‑rule double in the opening frame, and he later scored on a throwing error by Okamoto at third base. Max Muncy reached on an infield single to begin the ninth before Varland’s walks loaded the bases. Carlos Cortes contributed an RBI single in a two‑run third inning, and Bolte’s ninth‑inning homer over the right‑field fence stretched the lead to 5‑1 in the fifth. The Blue Jays (72‑73) remained one game behind Cleveland in the race for the American League wild‑card spot. Looking ahead, Toronto’s José Soriano (11‑7, 3.52 ERA) is slated to face Jack Perkins (3‑10, 6.50) in Tuesday’s second game of the series.