OAKLAND, Calif. -- Jeff Samardzija arrived at the ballpark nearly five hours before making his first start with his new ballclub. The right-hander left having secured a four-game sweep for Oakland with a performance that showed exactly why the Athletics were so eager to get him in a trade with the Chicago Cubs. Samardzija pitched seven strong innings to win his Oakland debut and the As beat the Toronto Blue Jays 4-2 on Sunday. "First impressions are always important," said Samardzija after lowering his overall ERA to 2.74. "Like I said yesterday, they didnt need me here. They were doing just fine without me. I dont want to come in and change anything and change the atmosphere. I just want to come in and add and do my part," he said. He did just that, giving up four hits and one run with five strikeouts and one walk while earning his first win since June 7. With the Cubs, Samardzija was 2-7 despite a 2.83 ERA. He was voted to the NL All-Star team but wont pitch and will spend the game in the AL dugout. "He was excited as you could be," Oakland manager Bob Melvin said. "It was great to get him off to a good start like that. Terrific performance." Samardzija, acquired a day earlier, received several standing ovations. He was cheered during pregame warmups and again after striking out the side in the seventh. The veteran pitcher was equally excited after receiving some early run support, something that was scarce in Chicago. The Cubs scored two runs or fewer in 11 of his 17 starts in the NL this season. Oakland had no such issue. Jed Lowrie had two hits and scored twice, and leadoff hitter John Jaso added a pair of hits and an RBI for the As, who won their fourth straight after getting swept in three games at Detroit. Stephen Vogt singled and tripled to help the As complete their first series sweep of the Blue Jays since taking a three-game series in 2000. Oakland hadnt swept a four-game series from Toronto since May 22-24, 1981. "It was beautiful, man, that was awesome," Samardzija said. "Just getting one early run as a pitcher is the best thing ever. You can go out and pound the zone and understand if a guy gets on base so be it. And the way (the As) take at-bats is outstanding." Nate Freiman and Craig Gentry also drove in runs for the As. Lowrie doubled and scored in the second, then Oakland added two more in the fourth to extend their majors-leading record to 55-33. Pinch-hitter Derek Norris added an RBI double in the eighth for Oakland. Steve Tolleson had a pinch-hit home run off As closer Sean Doolittle in the ninth for the Blue Jays, who have lost six straight on the road. Doolittle got his 13th save. Toronto got a stellar outing from starter Drew Hutchison but for the fourth straight game had little success offensively. The Blue Jays went 0 for 18 with runners in scoring position during the series. They didnt have many opportunities against Samardzija and two relievers. Toronto managed just four baserunners over the final eight innings and had only two get past first base. "We got shut down big time," said Blue Jays manager John Gibbons after his club was outscored 14-4 in the four-game sweep. "Were just not very good right now. Were just not producing." Oakland general manager Billy Beane got Samardzija and pitcher Jason Hammel for a package of prospects that included the two most recent first-round draft picks by the As. Samardzija pitched out of a two-on, one-out jam in the first by getting cleanup hitter Jose Bautista to ground into an inning-ending double play. "That was probably one of the biggest pitches of the game for me," Samardzija said. "It allowed me to relax and then to come out and put a few on the board. I was able to relax and pound the zone." Samardzija retired 13 of the next 14 batters he faced until Jose Reyes singled with one out in the sixth. Munenori Kawasaki followed with a double and Melky Cabreras groundout scored Reyes. Hutchison (6-7) struck out four and walked two in his first career start against the As. The punchless Blue Jays went into the game shorthanded. Edwin Encarnacion strained his right quad legging out an infield grounder on Saturday and was held out of the lineup. The Toronto slugger underwent an MRI before the game, though the results were not disclosed. NOTES: Cole Gillespie went hitless in three at-bats for Toronto after being claimed off waivers. ... Oakland OF Brandon Moss underwent an MRI on his injured left ankle. Results were not immediately known. ... Toronto OF Brad Glenn was designated for assignment. The Blue Jays also claimed OF/DH Nolan Reimould off waivers from Baltimore. ... As RHP Jesse Chavez will pitch the series opener against San Francisco on Monday. ... Blue Jays LHP JA Happ (7-4) takes the hill in the opener against the Angels. Nasir Adderley Jersey . It was the quickest three-goal sequence in Olympic history, with the latter two coming just eight seconds apart. Kessel, Lamoureux and Kendall Coyne all scored twice for the Americans, and Molly Schaus made 10 saves in her Sochi debut. Cheap Chargers Jerseys . Vettel only needs to finish fifth or better Sunday to wrap up the championship with three races remaining, and bettered his own lap record to claim his third straight pole at Buddh International Circuit. http://www.cheapchargersjerseysauthentic...p-rivers-jersey. Braves reliever David Carpenter was also fined for throwing at Rockies outfielder Corey Dickerson in the same game, which featured several ejections, including Colorado manager Walt Weiss. Easton Stick Jersey . Still, Encarnacion felt a sense of relief. He felt a pop just before crumpling to the ground after running out a groundball in the first inning of Saturdays game. It could have been worse. “Its going to take maybe two weeks,” said Encarnacion. “It depends how Im going to be and how Im going to be day after day, feeling better or not. Junior Seau Jersey .com) - James Harden put the Houston Rockets on his back and willed them to an overtime victory on Thursday. CHICAGO -- For the Cincinnati Reds, there was no better place to open a 10-game trip than Wrigley Field. Alfredo Simon lowered his ERA to 0.86, and the Reds beat the Chicago Cubs 4-1 Friday for their 16th win in their last 17 games at the Friendly Confines. Making his third start, Simon (2-1) allowed an unearned run in six-plus innings and sent the Cubs to their fifth straight loss. Simon, in the rotation while Mat Latos recovers from elbow and knee injuries, had made 99 relief appearances for the Reds before getting a chance to start this year. "Hes wanted more opportunity. Weve given that to him," manager Bryan Price said. "I think it was a good idea that we brought him into camp to start in case we had an injury or didnt have the depth. And our good fortune is that he came in ready to go and had a great spring and is off to a good start." Simon struck out three and walked two. "I feel great," he said. "I just tried to keep the ball down today and just try to (get ground balls)." Jonathan Broxton pitched a hitless ninth for his second save in two tries, completing a six-hitter for the Reds, who stretched their winning streak to a season-best three and have won four of five. Cincinnati, which won last years season series 14-5, went ahead on Billy Hamiltons RBI double in the fifth. The Reds made it 3-0 in the sixth when Zack Cozart hit a bases-loaded grounder to third, and second baseman Emilio Bonifacios relay for a double-play attempt went wide of first for an error that allowed Ryan Ludwick to score from second. Ludwick had reached on catchers interference by Welington Castillo. "Believe me, we dont take it for granted that were coming in here to win all the games," Price said.dddddddddddd. "I mean, we want to but we dont take it for granted at all." Jeff Samardzija (0-2) gave up three runs -- one earned -- and six hits in seven innings with seven strikeouts and two walks. He is 0-4 despite a 3.86 ERA in 10 starts since winning at San Diego on Aug. 24. "Its a tough day to hit with that wind," he said. "Its just the way it goes sometimes. You cant let it get to you." Luis Valbuena hit an RBI single in the seventh, ending a 24-inning scoreless streak for the Cubs dating to Sundays loss to St. Louis. Cincinnati scored another run in the eighth on a wild pitch by Justin Grimm. "I think we were a little sloppy in general, and Jeff really kept us in the ballgame throughout," Cubs manager Rick Renteria said. "I think well do better." NOTES: Reds 2B Brandon Phillips left in the middle of the third, two innings after he felt back spasms after he swung and missed a Samardzija pitch. Price said Phillips was removed as a precaution and said he was hopeful Phillips could play Saturday. ... Price said LHP Aroldis Chapman has been cleared to throw batting practice for the first time since he was hit in the face by a line drive during an exhibition game on March 19. ... Reds LHP Sean Marshall (sore left shoulder) has rejoined the Reds and could be activated this weekend. ... The Reds stole five bases. ... Jon Tinker, a grandson of former Cubs Hall of Fame shortstop Joe Tinker of Tinker to Evers to Chance fame, threw out the ceremonial first pitch. ... Cincinnatis scheduled starter Saturday is LHP Tony Cingrani (1-1), while RHP Edwin Jackson (0-1) is to start for the Cubs. 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