Beavers hits leadoff homer, Mayo also connects as Orioles beat Blue Jays 7-4

TORONTO (AP) — Dylan Beavers hit his first career leadoff home run, Coby Mayo added a solo blast and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Toronto Blue Jays 7-4 on Friday night in the opener of a series between AL wild-card contenders.

Christian Encarnacion-Strand had three hits and Beavers had three RBIs as the Orioles won for the third time in four games after losing the previous six. Baltimore is 3-7 in September.

Toronto rookie Brett Bateman had three hits, including his first career home run, a two-run blast off Alex Hoppe in the ninth.

Rico Garcia retired Alejandro Kirk on a fielder's choice to end it for his eighth save in 14 chances.

The Blue Jays came in one game behind Cleveland for the final wild-card spot. Baltimore entered three games back.

Chris Bassitt (7-5) struck out five in five-plus innings to beat his former team. Bassitt allowed two runs and six hits.

Beavers homered on Max Scherzer’s second pitch of the game, his seventh.

Scherzer (2-8) allowed six runs and a season-high seven hits in five innings.

The Orioles got six consecutive hits off Scherzer to begin the second inning. Heston Kjerstad drove in a run with a bases-loaded single, Colton Cowser followed with a two-run double and Beavers capped the five-run outburst with a two-run single.

Toronto’s Kazuma Okamoto hit a solo home run off Bassitt in the fourth, his 31st.

Andrés Giménez made it 6-2 with an RBI groundout in the sixth. Mayo answered with a homer off Braydon Fisher in the seventh, his 23rd.

The Orioles have hit multiple home runs in five straight at Toronto, a streak that began Sept. 14, 2025.

RHP Kyle Bradish (7-13, 3.91 ERA) was scheduled to start for the Orioles on Saturday. Toronto had not named a starter, but RHP Spencer Arrighetti (7-9, 5.12) was expected to feature.

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Baltimore Orioles' Dylan Beavers (12) celebrates his solo home run with Pete Alonso (25) as Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk (30) looks on during the first inning of a baseball game in Toronto on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays' Kazuma Okamoto rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Baltimore Orioles during the fourth inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Baltimore Orioles' Colton Cowser hits a two-run double against the Toronto Blue Jays during the second inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Baltimore Orioles pitcher Chris Bassitt (40) works against the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning of a baseball game in Toronto on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Baltimore Orioles' Dylan Beavers (12) celebrates his solo home run with Pete Alonso (25) as Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk (30) looks on during the first inning of a baseball game in Toronto on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Donovan Walton hit a walk-off two-run homer in the 10th inning to give the Athletics a 6-5 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Friday night.

Lawrence Butler had three hits, including a two-run home run in the third inning and a double in the ninth for the Athletics. Jeff McNeil reached base three times, had two hits, an RBI, and scored twice.

Julio Rodríguez’s RBI single in the 10th inning gave the Mariners a 5-4 lead before Walton ended the game with his homer off Eduard Bazardo (3-4).

Behind by two runs, Seattle’s Josh Naylor reached first base on a fielding error by reliever Scott Blewett in the sixth inning. On the next at-bat, pinch-hitter Lázaro Montes sent a 430-foot shot over the right-center wall to tie the game 4-all.

Butler, hitless in his last 16 plate appearances, hit a two-run home run on a full count in the third inning to give the A’s a 4-2 lead.

Cal Raleigh knocked in a run with a base hit in the first inning to open the scoring.

After Henry Bolte hit a single and stole second base, McNeil’s double to right-center field brought him home in the first inning to tie the score at 1-1. McNeil scored from third on a throwing error to first base by Cole Young.

Seattle's Dominic Canzone had two hits, including a triple in the fifth inning.

Naylor had two base hits, a steal, and scored twice for Seattle.

Chris Roycroft (2-0) pitched the 10th for the win.

The teams play the second game of their weekend series on Saturday, with Mariners RHP Bryan Woo (11-9, 4.03 ERA) facing Athletics LHP Gage Jump (6-10, 5.12).

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Athletics' Lawrence Butler runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Sara Nevis)

Seattle Mariners' Lazaro Montes celebrates after hitting a two-run home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Athletics Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Sara Nevis)

Seattle Mariners third baseman Weston Wilson fields the ball hit by Athletics' Zack Gelof during the third inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Sara Nevis)

Athletics pitcher Jeffrey Springs throws to the Seattle Mariners during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Sara Nevis)