An actual game would be played against the host Oakland Athletics, a late-night meeting that almost got lost in the shuffle in the wake of the events leading up to first pitch.

What would eventually get lost was a pitch Chad Green threw to JJ Bleday that went deep into right field, a walk-off blast on the first pitch in the ninth inning as the A’s won, 2-1, in dramatic and stunning fashion.

It took until the sixth inning for either team to get a runner to third base, a feat managed by the A’s who had runners at the corner with none out against Jays starter Chris Bassitt.

A one-out wild pitch scored the game’s first run.

Bassitt limited the damage by keeping Oakland to one run. Through five innings, Bassitt, who once plied his pitching trade in Oakland, had surrendered two hits. He gave up two in the sixth inning, but the costly pitch was the errant heave that led to the run.

The Jays managed to produce three hits through six innings.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. led off the seventh and pulled a ball down the left-field line that would have gone yard had he kept it fair.

He did manage to end up on second base on a slicing ball he hit into right field that should have been caught for the out.

Instead, it bounced into the stands for a ground-rule double.

Bo Bichette then took an 0-2 pitch and hit a soft-liner into right to score Vlad Jr.

A passed ball advanced Bichette to second, but he would be left stranded.

With so few hits recorded on this night, any late-game baserunner loomed big.

With so few highlights being produced, the game’s closeness did provide some drama to what was an otherwise non-descript game.

In beating Baltimore in back-to-back games to earn a series split, much more was expected from the Blue Jays against a pretty medicore Oakland team.

Bassitt was Toronto’s best player and, for that matter, the game’s top performer.

His very strong outing was capped off with a swinging strikeout to end the eighth inning, Bassitt’s seventh K of the game.

When the Jays took their swings in the top half of the ninth inning, they were facing fireballer Mason Miller. His first batter was Vlad Jr, who struck out when he chased a slider. Up stepped Bichette, who also struck out on a slider that was low and outside.

George Springer then grounded out, setting the stage for Green’s hanging slider.

BYE, BYE BIGGIO

When the decision was made to DFA Biggio, who has been with the organization since 2016, GM Ross Atkins and manager John Schneider broke the news in person with the no-maintenance Biggio following Thursday’s 6-5 win over the visiting Baltimore Orioles as Toronto earned a split of the four-game series.

According to Schneider, who addressed the media in Oakland during his regularly scheduled pre-game gathering Friday night, it was “a tough conversation’’ when reflecting on the meeting with Biggio.

With his playing time dwindling, it appeared the move to DFA Biggio seemed inevitable.

Because he has in excess of five years in the majors, Biggio had the right to refuse his demotion to the minors.

Without saying as much, it’s logical to reach the conclusion that he did, in fact, refuse to be sent down, which led the Jays into exercising the next option.

That option was the DFA route.

There’s always the possibility of the Jays engineering a trade.

If no suitor emerges, Biggio will go on waivers.

If no team claims Biggio, he’ll be released and officially become a free agent.

Whatever happens in the ensuing weeks, safe to say Biggio will land with another big-league club.

THREE FRIENDS

Biggio, Bichette and Vlad Jr. each came up together.

Spencer Horwitz, Ernie Clement and Davis Schneider share a similar relationship.

The threesome was teammates last September with the Blue Jays.

During this year’s spring training, the trio was once again reunited.

Following Horwitz’s call-up, the reunion adds a new chapter.

The way Horwitz was swinging the bat at Triple-A Buffalo, he forced the Blue Jays’ hands, a team in need of an offensive burst.

As a positional player, the Jays envision Horwitz in a 60-40 split between second base and first.

“I love what he’s been doing in Triple-A and I think he can really help us,” John Schneider told the assembled media in Oakland.

Horowitz wasn’t in the starting lineup Friday, but he likely will be featured Saturday.

The series-opening lineup against the A’s featured Davis Schneider at leadoff followed by Justin Turner and Vlad Jr.

For the 29th straight game, the Jays went scoreless in the first inning to break a tie with the 1972 Kansas City Royals as Toronto now has the dubious distinction of boasting the second-longest streak.

The MLB record for first-inning futility is 31, meaning the Jays can tie the mark in Sunday’s series finale in what will likely be Toronto’s final appearance at the Coliseum.

The A’s have already announced their decision to play at the home of the Sacramento River Cats from 2025-27 with an option for 2028 in the ongoing process of relocating to Las Vegas.

As they say, seeing is believing.

When it comes to the Jays and the Coliseum, an iconic moment that will forever resonate was the Roberto Alomar two-run homer off closer Dennis Eckersley in Game 4 of the 1992 ALCS.

fzicarelli@postmedia.com