TORONTO -- Sonny Gray was the focus of all the attention Tuesday night.

The right-hander is the subject of trade speculation as the July 31 deadline approaches and the possibility existed that he could be making his final start for the Oakland Athletics.

The night belonged to Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Cesar Valdez, however, who opened the season with the A's.

The 32-year-old pitched into the seventh inning to pick up the second win in his 18 career major-league outings dating to 2010, four of them starts, as the Blue Jays defeated the Athletics 4-1.

"I believe in what I to do out there and if they give me the opportunity to start again I hope to do even better," Valdez said.

His other major league win came in his debut May 3, 2010, when he was with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The Blue Jays scored four unearned runs in the second inning, two on a double by Ryan Goins.

"(Valdez) was terrific," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "We didn't know what to expect. He had pitched a couple of times in the last four or five days, but we couldn't ask for a better outing.

"Good for him, he's been grinding it out over the years. Those things you feel so much better about, a guy like that."

The Blue Jays (46-54) have won the first two games and the Athletics (44-56) have lost 10 of their past 11 games at the Rogers Centre.

Blue Jays closer Roberto Osuna pitched around a single in the ninth inning to post his 26th save of the season and second in as many nights.

"You know there's going to be a lot of deception (with Valdez), you know there's going to be a lot of offspeed stuff," Athletics manager Bob Melvin said. "It looked like balls were on the corners. We're not swinging the bats great right now, but you can't take away from the fact that he did pitch well."

Gray (6-5) allowed five hits, two walks and four unearned runs in six innings. He struck out nine as he had his three-game winning streak end.

"Other than the one inning, he pitched well," Melvin said. "We ended up getting more than I thought we would get out of him early in the game."

Valdez (1-0), making his first start and fifth appearance with the Blue Jays, allowed five hits, one walk and one run. He had four strikeouts in his second start of the season. His first start was for Oakland on April 20. The Blue Jays claimed Valdez on waivers May 5.

He was replaced by Joe Smith after a leadoff double by Khris Davis and received a large ovation from the crowd.

"It was amazing, I felt great, it was very emotional," Valdez said. "I hope I have another chance to do it."

Smith retired the next three batters, helped by a fine catch by right fielder Jose Bautista on a line drive in the gap by Jed Lowrie for the first out.

Liam Hendriks, a former Blue Jay, replaced Gray for the seventh inning and survived two walks.

Toronto's Ryan Tepera pitched around a walk in the top of the eighth.

Oakland's Simon Castro overcame a hit batter and a single in the bottom of the eighth.

The Blue Jays' big second inning was set up by Gray's throwing error on a potential double-play grounder.

After Justin Smoak led off with a single, Gray fielded a bouncer by Kendrys Morales and threw high to second base and into the outfield. Smoak went to third and Morales stayed at first.

"I take pride in the defense side of pitching and today I just really let everybody down," Gray said. "I went to throw it to second and just air-mailed it."

Troy Tulowitzki's groundout to third scored Smoak. Ezequiel Carrera hit an infield single to shortstop. Goins followed with his two-run double with two outs and Bautista hit an RBI double that ended a 0-for-17 slump.

"It was huge, (Gray is) one of the best in the game," Goins said. "He has great stuff. It was a great pitching performance by Valdez. He came out and threw strikes, changed his arm angles, pretty much did what he wanted out there. It was pretty fun to watch."

The Athletics scored a run in the fourth on doubles by Matt Joyce and Davis.

NOTES: Toronto RHP Danny Barnes (right shoulder impingement) was put on the 10-day disabled list and LHP Matt Dermody was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo. ... Blue Jays LHP Jeff Beliveau and RHP Lucas Harrell, who were designated for assignment, cleared waivers and were assigned outright to Buffalo. ... Oakland OF Jaycob Brugman (sore neck) was scratched from the lineup and OF Rajai Davis replaced him in center field. ... A's RHP Frankie Montas resolved his visa issue in New York, but his flight to Toronto did not arrive until after 9 p.m. He missed the game Monday because of the visa issue. ... Oakland RHP Paul Blackburn (1-1, 2.88 ERA) faces Toronto RHP Marco Estrada (4-7, 5.52) in the third game of the series Wednesday.