Rooker hits 2-run HR, Miller strikes out 2 with runner on 2nd in 9th as Athletics beat Blue Jays 4-3

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Brent Rooker hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the fifth inning and Mason Miller struck out Ernie Clement and George Springer looking with the tying run on second in the ninth inning as the Athletics beat the Toronto Blue Jays 4-3 on Saturday night.

Miller walked pinch hitter Joey Loperfido leading off the ninth and Nathan Lukes bunted him to second. Miller struck Clement with a 103.3 mph fastball and Springer on a slider after topping 102 on his two previous pitches — both strikes.

Rookie Leo Jiménez hit his first home run — a two-out solo shot off Jacob Lopez (3-5) to put the Blue Jays up 1-0 in the second. Ernie Clement doubled leading off the third and scored on a two-out double by Bo Bichette for a 2-0 lead.

Rooker had an RBI double off Kevin Gausman (6-7) in the third inning to tie it 2-all after Lawrence Butler's single drove in the first run. Rooker hit his 20th home run two innings later after Nick Kurtz's two-out single for a 4-2 lead.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. walked leading off the eighth against Michael Kelly and scored on Alejandro Kirk's sacrifice fly to cut it to 4-3.

Lopez allowed two runs and four hits with two walks and five strikeouts in five innings. Elvis Alvarado struck out four in a row in 1 2/3 innings and left after a bloop double by Clement with two outs in the seventh. Kelly and Sean Newcomb each got two outs and Miller pitched the ninth for his 18th save.

Gausman surrendered four runs and five hits with two walks in five innings.

Toronto lost for the second time in its last 13 games.

Newcomb entered with one out and a runner on third in the eighth with the A's up a run. He struck out Addison Barger swinging after falling behind 3-0 and then fanned Jiménez on a 3-2 pitch.

The Blue Jays had won the first five meetings by a 46-24 margin, scoring at least eight runs in each game.

Blue Jays RHP José Berrios (5-3, 3.53 ERA) starts Sunday opposite Athletics LHP Jeffrey Springs (7-6, 3.92).

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Kevin Gausman throws to the Athletics during the second inning of a baseball game Saturday, July 12, 2025, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Sara Nevis)

Athletics pitcher Jacob Lopez throws to the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, July 12, 2025, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Sara Nevis)

Athletics' Denzel Clarke scores on a double hit by Lawrence Butler during the third inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays, Saturday, July 12, 2025, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Sara Nevis)

Athletics' Brent Rooker, right, celebrates hitting a two-run home run with Nick Kurtz, center, and Tyler Soderstrom, left, at home plate during the fifth inning of a baseball game Saturday, July 12, 2025, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Sara Nevis)

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 12, 2026--

Today, a leading global wedding technology platform The Knot Worldwide (TKWW), announced the appointment of Michael Pickrum as Chief Financial Officer. With more than 25 years of experience in strategic finance, operations, and business development within the media and technology industries, Pickrum will oversee TKWW’s global finance organization. Pickrum joins TKWW at an exciting moment as the company celebrates its 30-year anniversary and continues to grow and scale with a focus on product innovation.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260112910392/en/

Pickrum joins TKWW from Maximum Effort, the media, marketing, and investment company co-founded by Ryan Reynolds, where he served as Chief Financial Officer. Before this, he held the roles of COO and CFO at ExecOnline, Inc., a B2B online leadership development company. Pickrum spent over 17 years at BET/Viacom, where he served as EVP and CFO starting in 2007. Prior to that, he was COO of BET Interactive. He earned his master's and bachelor's degrees in engineering from Stanford University and his MBA from The Wharton School.

“I am thrilled to be joining TKWW at such an important time in the company’s journey,” said Michael Pickrum, CFO, TKWW. “There is incredible power in celebrations and I am looking forward to working with the exceptional team at TKWW to further enable our millions of couples and 900,000 small business owners around the world to celebrate life’s most meaningful moments.”

“Michael is a world-class financial and operations leader with an impressive track record of driving strategic growth and operational excellence across media and technology companies,” said Raina Moskowitz, CEO, TKWW. “As we continue to grow and scale with a focus on product innovation, Michael’s deep expertise in strategic planning, analysis, and capital allocation will be critical to our ongoing success. We are thrilled to have him join our team and help guide TKWW through our next phase of growth.”

Pickrum is based in New York, NY and reports to TKWW Chief Executive Officer Raina Moskowitz.

About The Knot Worldwide
Across North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia, The Knot Worldwide champions the power of celebration. The company’s global family of brands provides best-in-class products, services, and content to take celebration planning from inspiration to action. Through its wedding brands, including The Knot, WeddingWire, Bodas.net, Hitched.co.uk, Mariages.net, Matrimonio.com, and others, the company offers an extensive database of hundreds of thousands of wedding professionals to assist couples in organizing the happiest day of their lives. We have a brand for every kind of celebration—from booking a birthday party, to planning a wedding, to preparing to become a parent, and every moment in between.

Michael Pickrum, courtesy of The Knot Worldwide