McGowan takes the ball for Jays versus O's
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Journeyman right-hander Dustin McGowan can get Toronto game series at Rogers Centre.
The Blue Jays pulled even in dramatic fashion on Saturday, when J.P. Arencibia's pinch-hit RBI single with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth capped a rally and lifted them over Baltimore, 5-4.
Kevin Gregg (0-3) came in with one out in the frame, but after fanning Brett Lawrie, he walked Kelly Johnson, served up a single to Jose Molina and plunked pinch-hitter Adam Loewen to load the bases.
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Gregg then uncorked a wild pitch to plate Johnson, and later in the at-bat Arencibia laced a single to score pinch-runner Chris Woodward and end the game.
The hit made a winner of Jesse Litsch (6-3), who allowed one run on three hits in two relief innings.
Jose Bautista launched a two-run homer and Lawrie added a solo shot for the Jays, who have won four of six and shook off a 2-0 loss in Friday's series opener.
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Henderson Alvarez got the start for Toronto, allowing nine hits and three runs over seven innings.
Chris Davis collected two hits and drove in a pair of runs for the Orioles, whose three-game win streak was halted.
Vladimir Guerrero and Matt Angle knocked in a run each, while Baltimore starter Rick VandenHurk gave up three hits and as many runs in just 2 1/3 innings.
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McGowan, a 29-year-old from Savannah, Ga., was a supplemental draft choice of the Blue Jays in 2000 and made the majors in 2005, when he went 1-3 over seven starts and 13 appearances.
He returned for 16 games in 2006 and had his longest stint in 2007, when he was 12-10 with a 4.08 earned run average across 27 starts and pitched 169 2/3 innings.
Only 19 starts followed in 2008, however, and McGowan did not return to the big leagues until a four-inning relief appearance against Boston on Sept. 6, in which he allowed three runs on five hits in a 14-0 Toronto loss.
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He is 0-3 in eight career meetings with the Orioles, with a 6.53 ERA.
For Baltimore, righty Tommy Hunter makes his third start since arriving from Texas in a July 30 trade that sent Koji Uehara to the Rangers.
A supplemental draft pick in 2007, Hunter was 9-8 in 22 starts in 2008-09 before breaking out to win 13 games in 23 appearances last season to help Texas with the American League championship.
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He was winless in eight starts to begin this season, however, and came to Baltimore along with infielder Chris Davis.
Hunter is 2-2 with the Orioles and has faced the Blue Jays twice since arriving. He gave up eight hits and four runs on a 5-4 loss at Baltimore on Aug. 5, then got a no-decision after giving up six runs on nine hits in six innings of an 8-6 loss on Sept. 1.
Toronto has won 11 of its 17 matchups with the O's after going 15-3 in the season series a year ago against them.