JJ Bleday homers twice for first multi-homer game, A’s beat Pirates 5-2

By JANIE McCAULEY
AP Baseball Writer

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — JJ Bleday hit a go-ahead home run with one out in the fifth and a two-run drive in the seventh for his first career multi-homer game, leading the Oakland Athletics past the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-2 on Tuesday night.

Mitch Spence (3-1) struck out two over three scoreless innings for the win in relief of starter Alex Wood. The left-hander is still winless over four starts in Oakland since joining the club as a free agent Feb. 2 — and he is yet to pitch more than 5 2/3 innings in seven 2024 starts.

Tyler Nevin and Abraham Toro hit RBI singles in the second for the A’s after Shea Langeliers doubled to start the inning against Pirates right-hander Mitch Keller (2-3).

The A’s, who have won three straight and five of six, drew an announced crowd of 3,876 and finished the month of April with a 13-14 record.

Lucas Erceg struck out the side in the eighth and Mason Miller finished the 2 hour, 22-minute game for his eighth save. The Oakland bullpen has now gone six straight games and eight of nine without surrendering a run — the A’s longest stretch by their relievers since an eight-game scoreless streak from Aug. 20-29, 2020.

Connor Joe homered in the first and singled in the fifth for the Pirates — matching his team’s total hits from a night earlier in a 5-1 defeat. Ke’Bryan Hayes added a sacrifice fly in the fourth.

The Pirates lost for the eighth time in 11 games, dropping to 6-4 in games started by an opposing lefty.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Athletics: LHP Scott Alexander (bruised left rib) threw live batting practice — IF/OF Miguel Andujar faced him as he recovers from right knee surgery — and will report Friday to Class-A Stockton to begin a rehab assignment. … RHP Luis Medina will test his sprained right knee with a bullpen session Wednesday.

UP NEXT

RHP Quinn Priester (0-1, 3.84 ERA) pitches the afternoon finale for Pittsburgh opposite Oakland RHP Ross Stripling (0-5, 4.98) still trying to end a career-long 10-game losing streak and earn his first victory since going 10-4 with Toronto in 2022. He was 0-5 with the Giants last year.

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