Ernie Clement helps power Blue Jays past struggling Athletics

Ernie Clement homered and had four hits, Addison Barger added a homer and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the visiting Athletics 11-7 on Friday night.
The Blue Jays rapped out 15 hits and accepted 11 walks in winning their third consecutive game. They recorded 18 hits in a 12-0 win on Thursday in the opener of the four-game series.
Tyler Soderstrom and Shea Langeliers homered for the Athletics, who have lost 15 of 16.
The Athletics led briefly in the second when Soderstrom homered to center on a splitter from Chris Bassitt (5-3).
Toronto scored three in the home second against Jeffrey Springs (5-4). Clement doubled, Barger walked and Matt Straw stroked an RBI single. Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. walked to force in one run and George Springer blooped a sacrifice fly near the right-field line that was caught by a sprawling Lawrence Butler.
Butler walked with two out in the third, stole second and was running with the pitch when Jacob Wilson grounded a single up the middle.
Again, Toronto answered and scored three in the home third. Clement homered to left center. Barger walked and scored on Straw’s double into the left-field corner. Nathan Lukes hit an RBI single, and Mitch Spence replaced Springs, who allowed six runs, six hits and six walks in two-plus innings.
Langeliers homered to left with one out in the fourth.
Athletics center fielder Denzel Clarke, a Toronto native, saved a homer in the fourth with a leaping grab of Alejandro Kirk’s drive.
The Athletics trimmed the lead to one in the fifth when Clarke and Butler singled and scored on Brent Rooker’s double.
Toronto bumped the lead to 9-5 in the bottom of the inning. Straw walked and stole second. Guerrero was intentionally walked with two out. Justin Sterner replaced Spence and allowed Springer’s RBI single and Kirk’s two-run single.
Bassitt allowed five runs, seven hits and two walks with six strikeouts in five innings before Mason Fluharty replaced him in the sixth.
Barger homered to right with one out in the sixth against Grant Holman. Lukes doubled to left center despite Clarke’s spectacular dive into the wall. Bichette singled him home.
Chad Green allowed Clarke’s RBI single and Butler’s RBI double in the ninth.