Gausman, Young Lead Orioles Past Blue Jays
The Baltimore Orioles took the first game of a four-game series with the American League East Division leading Toronto Blue Jays Thursday night. Orioles starter Kevin Gausman collected his second consecutive victory, throwing 6 innings, while giving up 5 hits, 1 ER, 3 walks, and striking out 3 Toronto batters. The hard-throwing righty has now only given up two earned runs in his last 13 innings on the mound for the Orioles. Baltimore’s starting pitchers have only allowed two runs in their last four combined games.
While Gausman threw another solid game for the Birds, the 23-year-old starter failed to have one clean inning Thursday night. Although the youngster still needs to work out a few kinks, Baltimore will be more than happy with the end result on the night.
Oriole fans did not have to wait long for their team to put up runs in the game. Nick Markakis led off the bottom of the 1st inning with an opposite field single (he is now hitting .413 in the 1st inning this season). The team’s designated hitter for the night, Delmon Young, then stroked a home run into the left field seats to give the Orioles an early 2-0 lead. Young was implemented into the starting lineup due to his past success against Toronto starter Mark Buehrle. The 28-year-old designated hitter/outfielder came into Thursday night’s game with a .378 batting average and three home runs in 45 at bats against Buehrle.
Manny Machado ended his 0 for 18 slump with an opposite field double off of the wall in right field in the bottom of the 2nd inning. Jonathan Schoop followed with a sacrifice bunt to move Machado over to third base with one out. Catcher Caleb Joseph then ripped an RBI single through the left side of the infield to score Machado from third base and extend the lead to 3-0. Joseph came into the game hitting .122 on the season.
Anthony Gose gave Baltimore a scare in the top of the 3rd inning, as the Blue Jays center fielder blasts a line drive off of Gausman’s hip/buttocks. The young pitcher would in fact remain in the game after throwing a few test pitches. Gausman later issued a four-pitch walk to Melky Cabrera to give the Blue Jays runners on first and second with two outs in the inning. The Orioles would, however, get out of the inning without giving up any runs, as Jose Bautista hit an inning-ending ground out to Machado at third base.
Blue Jays third baseman Juan Francisco led off the top of the 5th inning with a double into deep right-center field. Gose followed the double with a bunt that would have been an infield single if not for an excellent play by Orioles catcher Caleb Joseph. Joseph was forced to collect the bunt, spin, and make a strong throw to get the speedy runner out at first base. With two outs in the inning, Cabrera slapped a single just past the outstretched glove of Gausman and into center field to give Toronto their first run of the game. The Orioles had a run of 19 straight innings without giving up a run until the Blue Jays scored in the frame.
Leading off the top of the 7th inning, Schoop blooped a double into the right-center gap. Joseph followed the double with a well-executed sacrifice bunt to move Schoop over to third base with only one out. Markakis extended the Oriole lead to 4-1 with a double off of the wall in right field, narrowly missing a home run in the process.
Jose Bautista hit a double down the left field line in the top of the 8th inning off of reliever Ryan Webb. The Blue Jays were able to get a run back as Juan Encarnacion hit a comebacker to Webb on the mound, but Webb was forced to get the out at first base and Bautista scored to cut the Baltimore lead to 4-2.
In a save situation for Baltimore, Zach Britton entered the game in the top of the 9th inning. The closer struck out Dioner Navarro looking for the first out of the frame. Steve Tolleson (former Orioles farmhand) reached first base on an infield hit up the middle. With the tying run up at bat, Britton induced a game-ending 6-4-3 double play on a grounder to J.J. Hardy at shortstop. The call at first base was challenged my Blue Jays manager John Gibbons; however, the call was confirmed on replay and the game was over.
Baltimore and Toronto will continue the four-game series Friday night as Ubaldo Jimenez (2-7, 5.01 ERA) will take the mound for the Orioles, and Drew Hutchison (4-4, 3.96 ERA) will try to contain the potent Baltimore lineup.
