Blue Jays 12, Orioles 3
BALTIMORE — Lourdes Gurriel Jr. homered to ignite a seven-run sixth inning, Cavan Biggio went deep twice and the Toronto Blue Jays hammered the Baltimore Orioles 12-3 Thursday night.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Danny Jansen had three hits and two RBIs apiece for the Blue Jays, who re-discovered their offence against the woeful Orioles. After scoring eight runs during a five-game skid, Toronto tallied 20 in the final two games of the series.
In this one, the Blue Jays reached a season high in runs and hits (17).
Playing in his 15th major league game, Biggio hit solo shots in the second and seventh innings. He came in batting .146 with one home run and three RBIs.
Toronto used seven hits and two walks in the sixth to turn a 2-2 game into a blowout. Gurriel started the onslaught with a drive to centre off Gabriel Ynoa (0-3), and Freddy Galvis and Jansen added two-run singles before Guerrero and Justin Smoak capped the Blue Jays’ biggest inning of the year with RBI singles.
Marcus Stroman (4-8) was the beneficiary of the offensive display after receiving only 26 runs of support in his previous 14 starts. The right-hander allowed two runs, one earned, and seven hits over six innings.
The Orioles beat Toronto on Tuesday before dropping two straight — making this the 14th successive series that Baltimore has failed to win (0-13-1) since taking two of three from the White Sox on April 22-24.
Chance Sisco homered and Anthony Santander hit a pair of RBI singles for the Orioles, whose minus-133 run differential is the worst in the majors.
ORIOLES’ TOP PICK HONORED
Drafted earlier this month by Baltimore with the No. 1 overall pick, Oregon State catcher Adley Rutschman was named winner of the 42nd annual Golden Spikes Award on Thursday. The award is given to the top amateur baseball player in the United States based on their athletic ability, sportsmanship, character and overall contribution to the sport.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Blue Jays: Reliever Elvis Luciano (1-0, 6.51 ERA) was placed on the 10-day injured list with right elbow inflammation. RHP Justin Shafer was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo.
Orioles: Mark Trumbo interrupted his rehab assignment to receive a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection in his sore right knee. He will be out 7-10 days, and “hopefully back on track after that,” manager Brandon Hyde said. Trumbo has been on the injured list the entire season following knee surgery in September. … OF Dwight Smith Jr. (concussion list) could be back this weekend, Hyde said. … OF DJ Stewart (right ankle sprain) will probably go on a rehab assignment if his time on the IL goes past Sunday, Hyde said.
UP NEXT
Blue Jays: Aaron Sanchez (3-7, 4.25 ERA) seeks to end a run of six straight losses when Toronto opens a three-game series at Houston on Friday night.
Orioles: The world champion Boston Red Sox come to Camden Yards for a three-game series. Baltimore’s scheduled starter, Andrew Cashner, was scratched with a blister on his pitching hand. His replacement was to be announced after Thursday’s game.