Mancini HR, 4 RBIs carry Orioles past Blue Jays 6-4
BALTIMORE (AP) — Trey Mancini homered and drove in four runs, Jonathan Villar also went deep and the Baltimore Orioles beat Toronto 6-4 Saturday night to end the Blue Jays‘ five-game winning streak.
After Toronto pulled even with two runs in the top of the seventh, Baltimore restored its lead in the bottom half. The first two batters reached against Buddy Boshers (0-1) before Hanser Alberto hit an RBI single off Justin Shafer and Mancini added a run-scoring groundout.
Mychal Givens (2-5) worked 1 1/3 scoreless innings and Paul Fry got three outs for his third save.
The Orioles, who lost the first two games of the series by a combined 16-4 score, improved their home record to 16-38.
Freddy Galvis and Reese McGuire homered for the Blue Jays and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had three hits and an RBI. Toronto was riding its longest winning streak of the season and striving to win a sixth straight on the road for the first time since 2014.
A first-inning RBI double by Guerrero and a solo shot by Galvis put Toronto in front 2-0 in the third.
Held hitless by Thomas Pannone through four innings, Baltimore took its first lead of the series with a four-run fifth. Villar homered to left, Stevie Wilkerson and Hanser Alberto singled and Mancini sent a drive into the center-field seats for his team-leading 26th home run.
Pannone went six innings, allowing four runs with a career-high nine strikeouts.
The Blue Jays pulled even in the seventh. With a runner on first and one out, lefty Richard Bleier was summoned from the bullpen to face left-handed hitting McGuire. The result: McGuire sent a 1-2 pitch over the right-field wall for his first home run of the season.
OUCH!
Toronto right fielder Derek Fisher left in the first inning after a fly ball deflected off his glove onto his face in the vicinity of his mouth. He was playing in his second game with the Blue Jays after being acquired in a trade with Houston on Wednesday.
THERE IT GOES
The Orioles tendency to yield long balls has become a recurring theme during a rebuilding season. Baltimore has surrendered 216 home runs, by far the most in the majors.
“It’s real. We give up a ton of home runs. It’s pretty annoying,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “But it’s where we are. We play in a hitter’s ballpark in the American League East, and a lot of times we just don’t execute well.”
LOTTA ARMS
Baltimore recalled RHP Branden Kline from Triple-A Norfolk and designated INF José Rondón for assignment, less than a week after claiming him off waivers from the Chicago White Sox. The move left the Orioles with 14 pitchers. “We wanted enough coverage, bullpen-wise,” Hyde said.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Blue Jays: RHP Nick Kingham (left oblique strain) was placed on the 10-day IL. Toronto recalled 22-year-old RHP Yennsy Diaz from Double-A New Hampshire. … Closer Ken Giles, who hasn’t pitched since July 27 because of right elbow inflammation, might be ready to return on Sunday. … C Luke Maile (oblique) is ready to begin rehabbing in Florida. There is no timetable for his return.
Orioles: Reliever Miguel Castro has been “under the weather,” according to Hyde. He last pitched on Tuesday. … LHP John Means (biceps strain) will come off the injured list to face the Yankees on Wednesday night. … OF Dwight Smith Jr. (left calf strain) is progressing, but “not there yet,” Hyde said.
UP NEXT
Blue Jays: RHP Sean Reid-Foley (1-1, 2.55 ERA) makes his fourth start of the season. He gave up five runs (three earned) in two innings on April 1 in his only appearance against Baltimore.
Orioles: RHP Tom Eshelman (0-2, 6.35) tries again to earn his first major league victory in his debut season. He’s started four games and appeared in five.
