Toronto, ON – Brett Lawrie had three hits, knocked in three runs and scored three times, as Toronto held off Baltimore, 8-6, at Rogers Centre.
Rajai Davis also had three hits and knocked in a pair for the Blue Jays, who nearly blew a seven-run lead, but have won two straight following a five-game skid. They'll go for the three-game sweep Wednesday.
Ricky Romero (6-1) gave up six hits and four runs while fanning seven batters over six innings. Jason Frasor escaped a bases-loaded jam in the seventh by inducing a ground ball from Ronny Paulino. Francisco Cordero also worked out of trouble in the eighth.
"I think, most importantly, was Ricky's ability to continue to go out, put up zeros when we scored," said Toronto manager John Farrell. "Yeah, they did chip away at him for three runs in his final inning of work, but I thought overall a very good step in the right direction for Ricky tonight."
Adam Jones extended his career-high hit streak to 20 games with a solo homer in the second inning and tacked on a two-run blast in the ninth off Casey Janssen. Chris Davis added three hits, including a two-run shot, but Baltimore lost its season-high fourth straight contest.
Jake Arrieta (2-6) yielded six hits and seven runs -- six earned -- over 4 1/3 innings and dropped his fourth straight decision. He said one of his pitches in particular is giving him trouble.
"I'm allowing them to put decent swings on the ball with elevated fastballs," said Arrieta.
Jones homered with J.J. Hardy aboard with one out in the ninth. Paulino then hit a liner to center, which was misjudged by Colby Rasmus, and the ball went over his head. Mark Reynolds walked, but Lawrie made a diving catch in foul territory on a ball hit by Chris Davis. Wilson Betemit's bouncer up the middle resulted in a game-ending force out at second.
Jones led off the second with his 15th homer of the season, a blast to right.
The Blue Jays, though, took control by scoring eight times between the third and fifth innings. The Orioles aided the cause with some shoddy fielding.
Consecutive singles from Lawrie and David Cooper to begin the third was followed by Rajai Davis' bunt toward third base. Arrieta's throw was wide of first and the ball sailed down the right-field line, tying the game. Cooper came home on Yunel Escobar's groundout.
Lawrie's one-hop double off the wall in right plated two runners in the next inning. Jones then dropped a fly ball in short center off the bat of Cooper. Betemit made another miscue on the next batter. Rajai Davis singled to left, and Betemit booted the ball, causing Lawrie to score on the play.
Lawrie, Cooper and Rajai Davis had consecutive RBI singles in the fifth for an 8-1 margin before the Orioles got three back the following inning, two on Chris Davis' ninth homer of the year, a shot to left.
The O's put two runners in scoring position in the eighth, but Cordero fanned Robert Andino to end the inning.
Game Notes
The Orioles reinstated Endy Chavez from the 15-day disabled list. Chavez, who had been on the DL retroactive to May 9, was out with a left oblique strain...The Orioles also selected the contract of right-hander Miguel Gonzalez from Triple-A Norfolk and also optioned pitcher Tommy Hunter and outfielder Xavier Avery to Norfolk. Gonzalez, who made his major league debut, allowed four hits and fanned five over 3 1/3 innings...Seemingly upset at the strike zone, Orioles catcher Matt Wieters was ejected by home plate umpire Doug Eddings in the fifth inning...Romero, who upped his record to 7-3 lifetime against the Orioles, moved to 5-0 at home this year...The hit streak by Jones is the longest for an Oriole since 2005 when Brian Roberts hit in 20 straight.
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