Orioles 4 Blue Jays 3
TORONTO — Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Zach Stewart was impressive in his major-league debut. The only thing missing was a win.
That went to the Baltimore Orioles who scored two runs in the ninth inning to defeat the Blue Jays 4-3 on Thursday afternoon to salvage the finale of the three-game series.
Former Blue Jays reliever Kevin Gregg picked up his 13th save despite giving up Adam Lind’s 14th homer of the season to lead off the bottom of the ninth.
Stewart allowed seven hits and two runs — including a solo shot from J.J. Hardy — over seven innings.
“Obviously I wanted it to be a good outing and so in that sense it was,” said Stewart who had in attendance his parents from Texas and his wife’s family from Atlanta.
Stewart, 24, was called up from double-A New Hampshire this week after rookie right-hander Kyle Drabek was demoted to triple-A Las Vegas.
“He was outstanding,” Blue Jays manager John Farrell said. “He didn’t fear contact, he got ahead in the count and used his fastball and slider to disrupt some timing on some first pitches.
“Quick innings early on. That certainly relaxed him and he settled into a very nice rhythm.”
His last inning, the seventh, might have been his most impressive from the standpoint of composure. He hit Mark Reynolds with a pitch, then got a double play grounder from Ryan Adams followed by a strikeout to end the inning.
“Even after he clips Reynolds in the start of the seventh to come back and get Adams on the ground ball double play after falling behind 2-0,” Farrell said.
“I thought that was probably the biggest point in the game where he did show composure and made some good pitches.”
“That was a point where it was make or break for my outing,” Stewart said.”That was probably the high point.”
But the Orioles were able to end a string of 16 consecutive losses at Rogers Centre in the ninth.
Vladimir Guerrero led off the top half with a single against Jon Rauch (2-3). Nolan Reimold came on as a pinch-runner and moved to third on Luke Scott’s single. Derek Lee’s grounder scored the run with Reimold sliding in safely on the fielder’s choice.
Left-hander Luis Perez walked Reynolds to load the bases and Adams singled in another run. Shawn Camp took over and got the Blue Jays out of the jam.
Jason Berken (1-2) worked two innings to earn the win.
Stewart, who has a good sinker and slider and is developing his change-up, was 4-3 with a 4.39 ERA in 12 starts at New Hampshire, but had pitched better in recent starts.
He was obtained from the Cincinnati Reds with right-hander Josh Roenicke and infielder Edwin Encarnacion for third baseman Scott Rolen on July 31, 2009.
“He was impressive,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. “I can see why they like him and why they traded for him. He’s got good late life on his fastball. He gave them a good chance to win today.”
Stewart retired his first six batters before giving up a leadoff walk to Reynolds in the third. That was erased when Adams grounded into a double play.
Craig Tatum later singled to left for Baltimore’s first hit. Hardy hit a popup to shallow right-centre field that second baseman Aaron Hill lost in the sun, and the ball dropped for a double. Stewart got out of the jam with a ground ball.
Hardy hit his seventh home run of the season to left on a 1-1 fastball to lead off the sixth.