Orioles 9, Blue Jays 5
By Todd Karpovich, The SportsXchange
BALTIMORE -- Baltimore's Jonathan Schoop homered in his major league debut and the Orioles snapped a six-game losing streak with a 9-5 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday night.
The Orioles also assured themselves of consecutive winning seasons for the first time since 1996-1997.
Toronto has dropped five of its past eight games and is guaranteed a last-place finish in the American League East.
Schoop, one of the Orioles' top prospects, made his case for being the club's starting second baseman next year, going 2-for-3 with a homer in the sixth inning that provided a 7-4 lead. Ryan Flaherty also homered twice, increasing his total to 10 on the season, and had a season-high four RBI. Steve Pearce got his fourth homer for Baltimore.
The Orioles' bullpen allowed two runs over the final five innings with T.J. McFarland picking up the victory. Jason Hammel also got his first career save. Flaherty's two-run shot in the eighth provided a five-run margin.
Munenori Kawasaki got his first career four-hit game for Toronto. Josh Thole also had a career-tying high four hits and an RBI for the Blue Jays, who were for 4-for-22 with runners in scoring position.
Kevin Pillar added an RBI double with two outs in the ninth that cut the lead to 9-5.
Orioles righty Bud Norris lasted just four innings and allowed three runs on seven hits with five strikeouts and two walks on 96 pitches. He has an ERA of 7.30 in five starts at Camden Yards since being acquired from Houston on July 31.
Toronto starter Esmil Rogers also struggled and gave up six runs on eight hits with two strikeouts and one walk over just 4 1/3 innings.
The Orioles took their first lead, 4-3, on a single by Nick Markakis in the fifth that ended Rogers' night. Lefty Aaron Loup entered for Toronto and immediately gave up a ground-rule, RBI double to Chris Davis. A dribbler to first by Jason Pridie provided a 6-3 lead.
Baltimore also ended a stretch of 21 consecutive games of scoring five runs or less.
The Blue Jays opened a 1-0 lead in the second when Reyes hit a blooper off Norris that fell into shallow left field and scored Thole. Norris threw 50 pitches in just the first two innings, earning an early visit from pitching coach Bill Castro.
Toronto increased the margin to 3-0 with two outs in third on triple by Anthony Gose and another bloop single by Thole.
Rogers retired the first seven batters he faced before allowing a single to second baseman Jonathan Schoop, who was making his Major League debut. ?Flaherty then followed with a homer to right field, cutting the lead to 3-2.
Pearce tied the game in the fourth with solo homer to left.
NOTES: Orioles 3B Manny Machado was officially placed on the 60-day disabled list with a left knee injury to make room for OF Jason Pridie. ... Orioles 1B Chris Davis struck out for the 197th time, breaking the club's single-season record set by Mark Reynolds in 2011. ... Blue Jays RF ?Moises Sierra has been listed as day-to-day with a sprained left ankle that he suffered Tuesday against Baltimore. ... With a single and a walk, Toronto 1B Adam Lind has reached safely in 37 of his past 44 games.
