Akin Wins Consecutive Starts, Leads Orioles Past Jays 4-2
TORONTO (AP) — Keegan Akin allowed one run through five innings and won consecutive starts for the first time, Ramón Urías hit a go-ahead double in the sixth inning, and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Toronto Blue Jays 4-2 Tuesday night.
Akin (2-8) allowed two hits, walked three, and struck out five. The second-year left-hander allowed one run over seven innings in a win over the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday for his first victory of the season.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Danny Jansen hit solo home runs for the Blue Jays, who had their three-game win streak snapped.
Toronto put runners at first and second with two outs in the seventh, but Tyler Wells came on to replace Jorge López and got Guerrero to line out on the first pitch.
Wells worked 1 1/3 innings and Cole Sulser finished in the ninth for his sixth save in eight chances.
Baltimore didn't get a hit through five innings against Hyun Jin Ryu, but chased him in the sixth. The left-hander lost for the first time in seven career games against the Orioles.
Ryu (12-8) came in 4-0 with a 2.95 ERA against Baltimore, including 3-0 in three starts this season. He allowed three runs and three hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Ryu walked two of the first four batters he faced, but struck out Urías to end the first unscathed.
That was the first in a streak of 15 consecutive outs for Ryu, who didn't allow a hit until Ryan Mountcastle doubled just inside the foul line in right field with two out in the sixth.
Hays followed with an RBI single up the middle that skipped past second baseman Marcus Semien. Anthony Santander walked and Urías ended Ryu's outing with a two-run double.
Guerrero cut it to 3-2 with a leadoff homer against López in the sixth, his 39th of the season and third in two games. Baltimore restored the two-run lead in the seventh when Jahmai Jones hit an RBI single off Adam Cimber.
Activated off the injured list before the game after missing more than a month because of a strained right hamstring, Jansen connected on the second pitch he saw from Akin in the third. The homer was Jansen's sixth.
JAYS CUT HAND
Before the game, struggling LHP Brad Hand was reinstated from the bereavement list and designated for assignment. Hand went 0-2 with a 7.27 ERA in 11 games with Toronto after being acquired from Washington on July 29 in exchange for rookie catcher Riley Adams.
JAYS SIGN TWO
Toronto signed RHP Elvis Luciano and OF Gregory Polanco to minor league contracts. The Blue Jays released Luciano last week. Pittsburgh released Polanco last Saturday.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Blue Jays: To make room for Jansen, Toronto optioned RHP Trent Thornton to Triple-A Buffalo.
UP NEXT
Blue Jays LHP Steven Matz (10-7, 3.81) faces Orioles RHP Matt Harvey (6-14, 6.18) in Wednesday's series finale. Matz went 2-1 with a 1.30 ERA in five August outings. Harvey has lost four straight starts.
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