Orioles 2, Blue Jays 1
BALTIMORE -- A ninth-inning throwing error by Munenori Kawasaki opened the door for a game-winning single by Nick Markakis, and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Toronto Blue Jays 2-1 at Oriole Park on Monday night.
Toronto reliever Aaron Loup (1-2) hit Chris Davis with a pitch to open the ninth. Davis them moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by J.J. Hardy. After Steve Pearce popped out, Loup intentionally walked Nolan Reimold.
A grounder by Alexi Casilla appeared to end the inning, but a throwing error on Kawasaki loaded the bases. Markakis then sliced a single to left field on an 0-2 count to win the game.
Jim Johnson (1-1) pitched a scoreless top of the ninth to earn the win.
Orioles starter Chris Tillman, who had not gotten past the fifth inning in his previous three outings, turned in his best performance of the season. Tillman allowed one run on four hits with three strikeouts and three walks in 6 2/3 innings and 103 pitches.
J.A. Happ continued to emerge as the anchor of Toronto's rotation. He gave up just one run on four hits with six strikeouts and two walks in six-plus innings.
The Orioles broke a scoreless deadlock when Manny Machado and Adam Jones opened the fifth with back-to-back singles. After a wild pitch by Happ moved them to second and third, Davis knocked in Machado with a long sacrifice fly to left field.
Tillman began to show some signs of tiring in the seventh when he allowed singles to Edwin Encarnacion and J.P. Arencibia. Colby Rasmus tied the game with a bouncing single to right field with two outs.
That sequence ended the night for Tillman, who fell just short of becoming first Orioles starter to go seven innings this season. Right-hander Darren O'Day entered and immediately walked Brett Lawrie to load the bases. However, O'Day struck out Emilio Bonifacio to end the threat.
Toronto's Adam Lind finished the night 1-for-3 with a walk, though his streak of reaching base to nine consecutive plate appearances ended when he struck out in the seventh inning.
NOTES: The Orioles recalled right-handed reliever Alex Burnett from Triple-A Norfolk and optioned starter Jake Arrieta to the Tides. ... The Orioles have not announced a starter for Wednesday's series finale against Toronto, but the pitcher likely will come from Norfolk. ... It was only the second time in seven games the Orioles did not allow a run in the first inning. ... The Blue Jays traded OF Casper Wells to the Athletics in exchange for cash considerations. ... Happ made his 100th career start for the Blue Jays.
