Hardy homers twice as Orioles beat Blue Jays

TORONTO – A four-homer outburst gave the Baltimore Orioles something they haven't had in years: a winning streak in Toronto.

J.J. Hardy homered twice, Derrek Lee and Nolan Reimold also connected and the Orioles beat the Blue Jays 12-4 on Tuesday night.

It's the first time since June 6-7, 2008, that the Orioles have won consecutive games in Canada.

"That was something really special, especially to do that here," right-hander Jake Arrieta said. "Everybody knows we've struggled here at Rogers Centre in the past, we haven't played well in this ballpark."

The Orioles had lost 16 straight north of the border before winning here on June 16. Baltimore has lost 25 of their past 29 games at Rogers Centre.

It was the first multihomer game of the season for Hardy and the fifth of his career. He went 2 for 5 with four RBIs.

Lee went 4 for 5 with five RBIs as Baltimore finished with season highs in runs and extra-base hits (eight).

"It was one of those 'not to be denied' nights," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "Hopefully it continues."

Baltimore finished with 16 hits, with every member of the starting lineup collecting at least one.

Mark Reynolds was the last starter to get a hit, and shared his relief with Hardy after his two-out double in the sixth.

"I went out and gave him his glove (at the end of the inning) and he goes 'Phew,'" Hardy said. "I go 'What?' He goes 'I was the last one in the lineup to get a hit.' I wouldn't have known that if he didn't say it."

Arrieta allowed five runs, four earned, and five hits in five innings to snap a five-start winless streak. Arrieta (10-7) walked two and struck out four to win for the first time since June 20, at Pittsburgh.

"It's nice to get it out of the way," Arrieta said of reaching 10 wins. "I'd like to pile on quite a few more and see where I finish the year."

The last Oriole to record his 10th victory in July was left-hander Erik Bedard, who did it on July 25, 2007.

Arrieta left after being hit on the right foot by Edwin Encarnacion's liner in the fifth inning. X-rays were negative.

Jose Bautista, who leads the majors with 31 homers, left in the third after he was hit in the helmet by a pitch from Arrieta. He fell to the ground after being hit on the earflap with an 0-2 pitch.

Toronto's trainers and manager John Farrell rushed to Bautista's side as he remained on the dirt at home plate. He got to his knees and stayed there for a couple of minutes before walking off without assistance. He was replaced by John McDonald.

Bautista said he had no lingering effects and hoped to be in the lineup Wednesday.

"I'm fine, I'm not hurt," he said. "My head doesn't hurt, I'm not dizzy. I feel perfectly fine."

Arrieta called the incident "really scary" and said he asked Toronto's trainers to pass along his wishes to Bautista when he went for his X-rays.

"I felt terrible right after the fact," Arrieta said. "I was trying to elevate a fastball away and that was one of those pitches that got away from me.

"I asked (the trainers) to please let Jose know that I was thinking about him and just wanted to know that he was OK," Arrieta said. "Obviously there was zero intent on my part."

Toronto's Adam Lind hit a three-run shot, homering against Baltimore for the fifth consecutive game, and Aaron Hill added a solo drive, but it wasn't enough for the Blue Jays.

Jason Berken pitched three scoreless innings and Mark Hendrickson finished for the Orioles.

The Orioles roughed up Blue Jays right-hander Brandon Morrow (7-5), spoiling his 27th birthday.

Morrow came in 2-0 in three career games against Baltimore and 5-0 with a 2.85 ERA in his last seven starts overall, but failed to get out of the fourth. He allowed seven runs, six earned, and nine hits in 3 1-3 innings, walked one and struck out five to lose for the first time since June 11 against Boston.

"I just wasn't very good tonight," Morrow said. "I was pulling a lot of fastballs to the first-base side of the box. And then if I wasn't throwing my slider in the dirt, then I was spinning it at the top of the hitting zone."

Hardy hit a leadoff homer to left in the third and added a two-run drive to left in the fourth, his 15th and 16th homers. He hit a sacrifice fly to the warning track in the fifth.

Lee hit a two-run double in the second, added an RBI single in the third and homered off Casey Janssen in the eighth, his 11th.

Reimold homered to begin the fourth, his sixth, and added an RBI double in the fifth. Robert Andino doubled home a run for the Orioles.

Lind cut Toronto's deficit to 4-3 with a drive to center off Arrieta in the third, his 19th. Baltimore answered with three runs in the fourth before Hill opened the bottom half with a solo shot to left, his fifth.

NOTES: Orioles DH Vladimir Guerrero was activated off the 15-day DL after missing 10 games with a broken bone in his right wrist, and RHP Mark Worrell was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk. ... Baltimore LHP Zach Britton will be called up from the minors to start the second game of Saturday's doubleheader at Yankee Stadium. ... Orioles OF Luke Scott had season-ending surgery on his right shoulder Tuesday. ... Lind has homered six times in his past five games against the Orioles.