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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
TORONTO (AP) -- David Wells placed the blame on his failed bid
for 20 wins on home plate umpire Mark Wegner.
Mike Stanley went 5-for-5 with five RBI and Oakland scored
seven runs in the first two innings to knock out Wells in a 10-0
win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday.
|  | | Up-and-coming A's rookie Barry Zito allowed two hits in 6 2/3 scoreless innings against Toronto. |
"He just had one miserable day," Wells said of the second-year
umpire. "He threw me off my game."
Wells (19-6) had pitched 19 scoreless innings before Oakland
scored five runs in the first on Stanley's two-run double, Ben
Grieve's two-run homer and Miguel Tejada's solo shot.
"I wasn't wild today," said Wells, who threw 24 of 42 pitches
for strikes. "He called my strikes, balls."
Wells exchanged words with Wegner in the first inning, and as he
was warming up for the second.
"When I was warming up after the first he was standing on the
line eyeballing me," Wells said. "He was staring me down and that
bothered me."
After Wells' first pitch to A.J. Hinch was called a ball, Wells
walked over to crew chief Charlie Williams and complained.
"I told him as the crew chief he should say something to the
guy. I don't think I've ever seen anybody ask a crew chief that,"
Wells said. "I asked Charlie to say something and he didn't, and
that just goes to show that they stick to their guns."
Attempts to reach the umpires after the game were unsuccessful.
After Terrance Long, Randy Velarde and Jason Giambi hit
consecutive singles in the second, Stanley hit his two-run single
to give Oakland a 7-0 lead.
"Nothing was wrong with David Wells," Grieve said. "I think
the umpire got into his head. I mean the guy only has (31) walks
all year so he probably knows what a strike or a ball is."
Wells (19-6) gave up seven runs and nine hits in 1 1/3 innings.
"You can't blame an umpire," catcher Alberto Castillo said.
"They just beat us."
The Athletics, who entered the day 2½ games behind Seattle in
the AL West, outhit the Blue Jays 19-2 and have won nine of their
last 10 games at SkyDome.
"It's almost like a double victory because you know he's beat a
lot of teams," Oakland's Jason Giambi said. "To come away with a
win against David is large for us, especially with the race that
we're in."
The Blue Jays lost three of four to Oakland, falling to fourth
place in the AL wild card race.
Stanley entered the game in a 3-for-14 slump. He put that to an
end quickly. He hit a two-run double in the first, a two-run single
in the second, singled in the fourth and sixth, and hit his 13th
homer off Mark Guthrie in the eighth.
"David just didn't have the good cutting fastball, and he felt
like the umpire missed a couple of pitches," Stanley said. "I was
just trying to get back to being able to trust my abilities."
Rookie Barry Zito (3-3) didn't allow a hit until Dave Martinez
singled with one out in the fourth. The left-hander allowed two
hits and six walks in 6 2/3 innings.
The Athletics pitched their seventh shutout of the season
despite walking nine batters and hitting one batter with a pitch.
The Blue Jays, who lead the majors with 221 homers, failed to
homer for the fourth straight game. It's the first time Toronto has
been held without a homer in four straight games this season.
Oakland starters have allowed two earned runs in their last 21
2-3 innings. Gil Heredia pitched 7 1/3 scoreless innings Saturday,
and Tim Hudson allowed two earned runs in 7 2/3 innings Sunday.
"They shut us down again," Toronto manager Jim Fregosi said.
"They've pitched well against us all season."
Game
notes
One of Zito's pitches went over the backstop screen and
into the stands in the fourth inning. It wasn't ruled a wild pitch
because it was the fourth ball to Tony Batista. ... Stanley's
career high for RBIs is seven. ... Grieve was the last Oakland
player to have five hits in game, doing it April 29, 1998, against
Cleveland. ... Grieve hit his 25th homer. Long tied his career high
with four hits, including a two-run homer in the seventh.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Oakland Clubhouse
Toronto Clubhouse
RECAPS
Boston 5
Seattle 1
Cleveland 5
Tampa Bay 1
Oakland 10
Toronto 0
Texas 5
Chi. White Sox 4
Baltimore 3
Minnesota 2
Detroit 5
Anaheim 0
NY Yankees 4
Kansas City 3
Cincinnati 6
NY Mets 2
St. Louis 4
Montreal 2
Colorado 6
Chicago Cubs 2
Florida 5
Houston 2
San Francisco 3
Philadelphia 0
Pittsburgh 12
Los Angeles 1
San Diego 4
Milwaukee 3
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