Toronto, ON – Danny Valencia and Adam Jones both homered and Freddy Garcia earned his first win of the season as the Baltimore Orioles hung on for a 6-5 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in the third of a four- game set at Rogers Centre.
Jones' solo blast off Toronto starter R.A. Dickey in the seventh inning proved to be the difference, while J.J. Hardy added a two-run double and Chris Davis drove in one run for the Orioles, who have won two of the first three games of this series four of their last five overall.
Garcia (1-2) allowed three runs -- two earned -- on nine hits over five innings to pick up the win.
Emilio Bonifacio hit a solo home run and Adam Lind had three hits and an RBI in defeat.
Dickey (4-6) was tagged for all six runs on nine hits over 6 2/3 innings. The knuckleballer issued three walks and struck out four for the Blue Jays, who have dropped two straight and fell to 2-4 versus Baltimore this season.
"It was just tough to get the feel of it early," Dickey said.
Much like Friday's 10-6 Baltimore win, an offensive outburst where both teams combined for 33 hits, Saturday's game also got off to a fast start.
With runners on first and second with two outs, Davis hit an RBI ground-rule double to right to give the Orioles a 1-0 lead. Hardy followed with a two-run single up the middle for a 3-0 advantage.
Toronto responded with two runs over its next two at-bats. Lind smacked a two- out RBI single in the first and Bonifacio came through with a solo blast to right -- his second homer of the season -- in the second to make it 3-2.
Dickey forced two quick outs in the third before serving up a ground-rule double to Hardy. Valencia then made the knuckleballer pay with a deep homer to left, extending the Orioles' advantage to 5-2.
Toronto got one run back in the fifth. With two outs and runners on the corners, Brett Lawrie hit a harmless chopper down the first-base line, but Garcia fielded the ball late and forced a errant throw past for an error, allowing one run to come across.
Jones added to Baltimore's lead in the seventh and ended Dickey's afternoon after he launched the right-hander's 1-1 offering off the second-row balcony in left field, giving the visitors a 6-3 cushion.
"We have a team that can drive the ball out of the park," added Jones, "I just see the ball good here."
Toronto closed the gap in the eighth, however, striking for two runs off the Baltimore bullpen.
Munenori Kawasaki hit a two-out RBI single off Steve Johnson and Melky Cabrera drove in another run with a single up the middle against Darren O'Day, bringing the Jays within one run.
It was still too little, too late, as the Orioles hung on just enough. Jim Johnson picked up his 15th save of the season by retiring the side in order in the ninth to secure the win.
Game Notes
Garcia is 9-8 in 20 career starts against the Blue Jays ... Baltimore's Manny Machado, who went 0-for-5, had collected at least three hits for a franchise- record five consecutive road games ... Baltimore has hit an MLB-best 68 home runs this season ... Dickey has surrendered 11 home runs this season ... Baltimore placed pitcher Pedro Strop on the 15-day DL and recalled Steve Johnson from Triple-A Norfolk.
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.