Blue Jays’ Vladimir Guerrero Jr. out to add to milestone against A’s

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is in his seventh big league season but still only 26.

He’s also the newest member of the Blue Jays’ 1,000-hit club, and he will look to add a few more to the total when Toronto visits the Athletics on Saturday night in the middle contest of a three-game series at West Sacramento, Calif.

Guerrero is just the 10th player to reach 1,000 for the Blue Jays. He got there with a single in the fifth inning of Friday’s 7-6 victory and added another hit later in the contest.

“It means a lot,” Guerrero said in a postgame interview with Sportsnet. “It’s a blessing. I have to thank God for helping me get to 1,000 hits.”

The late Tony Fernandez is Toronto’s all-time leader with 1,583 hits. Barring injury or a trade, Guerrero should surpass Fernandez later this decade.

Guerrero’s more immediate focus in on helping the Blue Jays continue their strong play. Toronto has won 11 of 12 games and holds a two-game lead over the New York Yankees in the American League East.

Meanwhile, the Athletics scored three times in the ninth on Friday to give Toronto a scare. But Nick Kurtz struck out against Jeff Hoffman to end it.

Earlier this season, Kurtz delivered two walk-off homers during a four-game series against the Houston Astros.

“The kid can’t come through every time,” Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said. “The fight is there by the club and showed it by getting him up to the plate in the ninth inning as the winning run.”

The A’s unraveled earlier in the game. Toronto’s six-run fifth inning was helped by second baseman Zack Gelof’s throwing error and the club’s failure to execute during a Blue Jays double-steal attempt.

George Springer was on third when Guerrero took off for second. Catcher Shea Langeliers threw to second and shortstop Max Muncy caught the ball in front of the bag and threw home. Muncy one-hopped the throw and Langeliers wasn’t able to glove it as Springer scored.

“If we play catch, Springer is out by 30 feet,” Kotsay said. “That’s the inning where the game got away from us. It seems to be when we make a mistake, it is compounded by a couple of hits and the inning keeps going.”

The A’s hope to have All-Star shortstop Jacob Wilson back on Saturday. He was hit by a pitch on his left hand on Tuesday and has missed the past three games.

The Blue Jays will send right-hander Kevin Gausman (6-6, 4.13 ERA) to the mound on Saturday.

Gausman, 34, has just one victory in his past seven starts. That triumph came when he blanked the Cleveland Guardians on two hits over eight innings in a 6-0 win on June 26.

Gausman wasn’t involved in the decision when he started Toronto’s 8-4 victory over the Athletics on June 1.

He is 1-2 with a 2.25 ERA in seven career starts against the Athletics.

Left-hander Jacob Lopez (2-5, 4.26) will start for the A’s.

Lopez was pounded while lasting just 1 2/3 innings against the Blue Jays in Toronto on May 29. He allowed seven runs and six hits in the 12-0 loss, serving up a three-run homer to Ernie Clement and a two-run shot to Guerrero.

Lopez is 1-1 with a 15.43 ERA in two career starts against the Blue Jays.

–Field Level Media