Blue Jays 7 Orioles 6
BALTIMORE — The largest opening day crowd in the 19-year history of Camden Yards was poised to celebrate an uplifting comeback victory by the Baltimore Orioles.
Then things got ugly, and it wasn’t long before the majority of those 48,891 fans were booing closer Michael Gonzalez for another pitiful performance.
Travis Snider doubled in a run and scored the tiebreaker in the ninth inning, leading the Toronto Blue Jays to a 7-6 victory Friday in Baltimore’s home opener.
“It’s nice to come up in a situation like that and deliver for your team, especially in a game like that where it was a back-and-forth battle,” Snider said. “Guys were playing their backsides off, and fortunately we came out on top.”
Baltimore took a 6-5 lead in the eighth when pinch-runner Felix Pie scored on a daring dash from first base on a two-out single by Cesar Izturis.
Then, for the second time in two games, Toronto rallied in the ninth. Gonzalez walked leadoff hitter Edwin Encarnacion and threw a wild pitch before yielding an RBI double to Snider. After a bunt by John McDonald moved Snider to third, Jose Bautista hit a sacrifice fly.
Gonzalez (0-2) was then removed — and jeered as he walked to the dugout.
Signed as a free agent during the off-season, Gonzalez has two blown saves in three chances and loaded the bases in the only save he converted. He has allowed four runs, four walks and five hits in two innings.
It was the fourth straight one-run game for the Orioles, who opened the season by losing two of three to Tampa Bay.
“We should have had three wins right now. That’s what’s getting under my skin,” Gonzalez said.
“I know at the end of the day I’m going to get this done; it’s just a rough start for me right now.”
Alex Gonzalez homered for the Blue Jays, 1-8 in Baltimore last year.
Casey Janssen (2-0) pitched one inning, and Kevin Gregg got three straight outs for his first save.
Miguel Tejada homered and had four RBIs for the Orioles, who overcame deficits of 3-0 in the first inning and 5-3 in the fifth. But Toronto had the last word.
Orioles starter Brad Bergesen allowed five runs and eight hits in 4 2-3 innings.
Brandon Morrow got off to a rocky start in his Toronto debut, giving up three first-inning runs while fighting his control. He ended up permitting five runs, four hits and five walks in five innings.