Machado drives in decisive run as Orioles beat Blue Jays 3-2
BALTIMORE (AP) - After a wild first inning, it appeared as if the Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles finally found their offensive mojo.
The Blue Jays never added to their early outburst, and Baltimore waited until the latter stages before rallying for a 3-2 victory Thursday night.
Manny Machado drove in two runs, including the tiebreaker in the eighth inning. Rookie Joey Rickard had three hits and scored the decisive run for the Orioles, who left 13 on base and going 3 for 14 with runners in scoring position.
"It's just how the game is. I mean, the game's frustrating itself," Machado said. "We have people scuffling right now. We left a lot of people on base, obviously. It's going to be hard. It's going to be like this all year."
The Blue Jays can relate. The defending AL East champions got all their runs and half their four hits in the first inning before going flat.
"We're not getting the big hit. It's nothing more than that," manager John Gibbons said. "It's something that we're accustomed to around here, but we haven't had it yet. But it will come."
Orioles starter Chris Tillman needed 38 pitches to get through the first. He gave up an RBI double to Josh Donaldson and walked Justin Smoak with the bases loaded to fall behind 2-0.
In the bottom half, Machado extended his hitting streak to 14 games - matching his career high - with a run-scoring single. Toronto's Marco Estrada avoided further damage by working out of a bases-loaded, no-out situation.
The score remained 2-1 until the seventh. After a walk, a hit batter and a single loaded the bases against Pat Venditte, J.J. Hardy tied it with a sacrifice fly off Brett Cecil (0-3).
In the eighth, Rickard singled off Brett Cecil (0-3) with one out and moved up on a passed ball by Russell Martin. Machado then hit an opposite-field fly to right that dropped between two fielders, scoring Rickard with an unearned run.
Darren O'Day (1-0) got three straight outs in the eighth and Zach Britton worked the ninth for his fourth save.
Home plate umpire Dan Bellino received hard stares after a few of his third-strike calls. Orioles catcher Matt Wieters evidently got a bit too vocal in the fifth inning after his check swing was ruled to be strike three. Bellino ejected Wieters, a ruling that brought manager Buck Showalter from the dugout for a lengthy argument.
"There was a lot of frustration built over the game about the strike zone," Showalter said.
Estrada struck out nine over five innings. The right-hander allowed one run, six hits and four walks.
Tillman gave up two runs and four hits in six innings, walking three and striking out four.
WALK THIS WAY
Blue Jays: Jose Bautista drew an eighth-inning walk to extend his streak of games reaching safely to 30, including all 16 this season.
Orioles: Chris Davis drew a career-high four walks.
HOLE IN ONE
Baltimore leadoff hitter Joey Rickard was credited with a first-inning single when his hot grounder to third base literally sliced through the webbing of Donaldson's glove. In the third inning, Donaldson and his new glove went into the stands in pursuit of a foul ball. He had it briefly but lost the handle while tumbling over the seats.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Blue Jays: Reliever Jesse Chavez missed a third straight game with a sore back. Gibbons said "it shouldn't be much longer" before the right-hander returns. ... Gibbons said LHP Aaron Loup (elbow) is "making progress" in his rehab, but there is no target date for his return.
Orioles: RHP Kevin Gausman (shoulder) could come off the DL on Monday to make his season debut against Tampa Bay. ... DH Jimmy Paredes (left wrist) hopes to begin a rehab assignment Tuesday.
UP NEXT
Blue Jays: Aaron Sanchez (1-0, 1.35 ERA) makes his fourth start of the season Friday night in the opener of a three-game series against visiting Oakland.
Orioles: Yovani Gallardo (1-0, 5.63) takes the mound Friday night in a road game against the defending World Series champion Kansas City Royals.