Orioles-Blue Jays Rivalry Heats Up
(AP) -- Among the best defensive teams in the majors last season, the Baltimore Orioles seemed to be continuing that level of play this year.
Lately, though, their fielding has headed in the opposite direction.
The suddenly error-prone Orioles try to avoid their first three-game skid of the season Wednesday night against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.
Only five teams in the majors made fewer errors than Baltimore's 87 last season and the team's .986 fielding percentage tied for third. More solid defense followed this year with the Orioles (7-7) committing an AL-best two errors in their first 10 games.
However, pitcher Chris Tillman made an error at Boston on Saturday and Everth Cabrera's miscue the following day was Baltimore's first by an infielder. Three more errors contributed to five unearned runs being scored by the Red Sox in Monday's 7-1 loss, and another two led directly to the Blue Jays' six-run second inning in Tuesday's 13-6 series-opening defeat.
Edwin Encarnacion triggered the big second inning with a leadoff homer and went deep again in the sixth. He entered Tuesday in a 3-for-26 slump with one RBI in seven games.
Jose Bautista homered in the seventh after rookie Jason Garcia narrowly missed hitting him with the second pitch of the at-bat. Three pitches later, Bautista responded with his fourth home run, stopping to admire it before rounding the bases.
That didn't go unnoticed, and outfielder Adam Jones shouted at Bautista as he left the field.
"It's not his first, it's not a walk-off, it's in the seventh inning," Jones said. "Let's not walk halfway down the line. Respect the game. I know he does, but at that moment right there he didn't, and when it happens against my team, I'm going to take offense to it."
Unperturbed, Bautista defended his actions.
"You throw at me, I'm not going to forget and if I get you right after, I'm going to enjoy it," he said. "And I did. I have no regrets about it."
Toronto (7-7) has won three of four against Baltimore this season, totaling 36 runs and 45 hits, including 23 for extra bases.
The shoddy defense overshadowed another dismal start by Bud Norris, who allowed a career high-tying nine runs in 2 1-3 innings as his ERA ballooned to 17.42.
Orioles starters have failed to complete six innings in six straight games, a trend Ubaldo Jimenez hopes to end.
Jimenez (1-0, 0.00 ERA) didn't get the chance to pitch very long in his last outing. The right-hander tossed 3 2-3 hitless innings at Boston on Friday before he was ejected for hitting Pablo Sandoval in the shoulder.
"It was my first one. I was shocked," Jimenez said. "He's a good hitter and I'm trying to go inside."
Jimenez was outstanding in his season debut against Toronto on April 11, yielding one hit over seven shutout innings in a 7-1 victory. Most impressive was the one walk he issued, which would represent a dramatic improvement from the 77 he totaled in 125 1-3 innings last season.
Jimenez is 2-1 with a 2.00 ERA in his last three starts overall against the Blue Jays, but he has an 8.68 ERA in three career appearances at Rogers Centre.
He's done an excellent job keeping Bautista and Encarnacion in check, limiting the sluggers to a .145 average (8 for 55) with one homer.
Aaron Sanchez (0-2, 6.23) gets another shot at the Orioles after struggling in his first major league start opposite Jimenez at Camden Yards.
The right-hander allowed three runs - including two homers - and seven hits with three walks over 3 1-3 innings.
Sanchez was better in a 4-2 loss to Tampa Bay on Thursday, giving up three runs in 5 2-3 innings.
Chris Davis is 3 for 3 with two homers against him.
