OAKLAND — Eric Chavez hit a go-ahead two-run single in the sixth inning to help Joe Blanton win his third straight start, and the Oakland Athletics beat the Toronto Blue Jays 5-2 on Thursday night.

Jay Payton homered and singled in a run and Marco Scutaro added a sacrifice fly as the A’s moved a half-game ahead of the idle Los Angeles Angels at the top of the AL West.

Oakland won its second straight after snapping a three-game losing streak and season-high five-game skid at home with Wednesday’s 5-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox to avoid a three-game sweep.

Blanton (11-8) pitched seven strong innings to win for the fourth time in five starts and improved to 3-0 since the All-Star break. He didn’t allow a hit until No. 9 hitter John McDonald’s two-out single in the third.

Troy Glaus doubled and drove in two runs for the Blue Jays, who began the second stop of their 10-game, 11-day trip by losing for the third time in four games. Oakland lost two of three in Toronto from May 9-11.

Frank Thomas, who homered twice Wednesday to give him 470 for his career, started the sixth with a double, then Nick Swisher walked one out later. Chavez followed with a single to center to score two runs and chase Toronto starter Ted Lilly (9-9).

Lilly, who has allowed one or fewer home runs in each of his last eight outings, hasn’t won in Oakland since Sept. 21, 2003, as a member of the A’s in a 12-0 victory over Seattle. He faced Blanton the last time he pitched at the Coliseum, losing 5-2 to the A’s on June 4, 2005.

Blanton allowed two runs and five hits, struck out four and walked one. Huston Street recorded the final three outs for his 21st save in 27 chances and hasn’t allowed a run in 12 2-3 innings over his last 13 appearances.

After Blanton plunked cleanup hitter Glaus leading off the second, Lilly did the same to A’s cleanup hitter Thomas to start the bottom half of the inning — and both benches were warned by plate umpire Jeff Nelson.

Glaus drove in a run on a fielder’s choice in the fourth for Toronto, then Oakland tied it in the bottom half on Payton’s shot to left, his sixth homer of the season.

Vernon Wells extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a fourth-inning double. He also was back in center field. The All-Star was the designated hitter Wednesday at Seattle after missing two games with a sore back.

Wells is batting .412 (21-for-51) during his hitting streak.

Notes: Lilly, who was just the 22nd left-handed starter Oakland has faced this year, allowed four runs and five hits in 5 1-3 innings, struck out four and walked four. ... After Blanton went 4-5 over his first 10 starts, he is 7-3 over his last 11 outings. ... The A’s placed LHP Scott Sauerbeck on the 15-day DL with a strained right groin and recalled LHP Ron Flores from Triple-A Sacramento to fill the roster spot. ... Blue Jays RHP Jeremy Accardo, traded by San Francisco last week, pitched in the seventh in his first return trip to the Bay Area.