Orioles Lose To Blue Jays 4-3 Despite Hitting 2 HRs
BALTIMORE (AP) -- The Baltimore Orioles got a decent outing from starter Mike Wright, hit two home runs and kept the Toronto Blue Jays from going deep.
In most cases, that would add to up a victory. Unfortunately for the Orioles, Marcus Stroman was very much part of the equation.
Stroman limited Baltimore to three runs over seven innings, and the Blue Jays made the most of eight hits in a 4-3 victory Tuesday night.
The Orioles did all their scoring on home runs. Manny Machado hit a solo shot in the fourth inning and Matt Wieters connected with a runner on in the seventh.
On this night, three runs were not enough. Now 5-1 at home, Baltimore has dropped four of five overall after a 7-0 start.
Stroman (3-0) gave up six hits, struck out three and walked one. The right-hander has won eight straight decisions and 11 of 12 dating to 2014.
"Stroman's really good. We knew it was going to be a challenge," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said.
Roberto Osuna got four straight outs for his fifth save.
Wright (1-1) gave up three runs over six innings. Half of his six career losses have come against Toronto.
"Yeah, it's definitely something to build on," the right-hander said. "A quality start against the Blue Jays is something I really needed after last year facing them. I felt decent out there."
Machado said of Wright: "He kept us in there. He kept us in there the whole time."
Baltimore played the last three innings without center fielder Adam Jones, who left with a stomach virus, according to the team. He was sidelined earlier this month with soreness in his ribs.
"He was battling it a little bit right after batting practice," Showalter said.
The Blue Jays used a run-scoring groundout by Ryan Goins to go up 1-0 in the second inning.
With two outs in the third, Troy Tulowitzki hit a liner to left that eluded a diving Joey Rickard for a two-run double. Tulowitzki, a key acquisition last year for the AL East champions, entered the game batting .140.
"Like everybody else, it's just a matter of time," manager John Gibbons said. "He really hasn't hit his stride but when he gets hits, they're big ones."
Machado homered in the third to get the Orioles to 3-1 and extend his hitting streak to 12 games.
Michael Saunders singled in the seventh off Tyler Wilson and scored on a double by Jose Bautista to make it 4-1.
Wieters connected in the bottom half, increasing Baltimore's AL-leading home run total to 25. It was his first of the season.
"Stroman was kind of throwing me a little bit of everything," Wieters said. "I missed a few pitches early and was able to get enough of one to get a two-run homer there. Just wasn't quite enough tonight."
Toronto has won three straight to move over .500 (8-7) for the first time since April 5.
STAT PACK
Blue Jays: Bautista has a hit in all 14 games. ... The Jays improved to 5-0 when striking out fewer than 10 times.
Orioles: Free agent pickup Pedro Alvarez went 0 for 4 and is batting .143 with no homers and one RBI. ... Rickard, a Rule 5 pick, has a hit in 11 of 12 games.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Blue Jays: Gibbons was coy before the game when asked if Osuna (cracked fingernail) would be available. "It's top secret info, man," Gibbons said.
Orioles: LHP Brian Matusz (ribcage) pitched three scoreless innings for Double-A Frederick in a rehab assignment Tuesday night. "That's what we were looking for," Showalter said.
UP NEXT
Blue Jays: Toronto sends struggling knuckleballer R.A. Dickey (1-2, 6.75 ERA) to the mound Wednesday night. He has not pitched more than five innings in his three starts.
Orioles: Ubaldo Jimenez (1-1, 3.75) makes his third start of the season. He's 6-4 lifetime against Toronto.
(Copyright 2016 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
