Orioles drop from 1st, skid at 5 with 9-1 loss to Blue Jays
TORONTO (AP) - Yovani Gallardo's perfect record against the Blue Jays came to an end on Saturday.
For the time being, so did Baltimore's stay in first place.
J.A. Happ won his eighth straight decision, Devon Travis homered and Toronto used a seven-run fifth to beat Baltimore 9-1, taking sole possession of the AL East lead for the first time since early April.
Gallardo (3-3) lost for the first time in five career meetings with the Blue Jays, including the opener of last year's AL Division Series. He allowed five runs and five hits in 4 1/3 innings.
"He didn't have command of his cutter today," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "That was a challenge for him."
Pedro Alvarez hit a solo homer for the Orioles, who matched a season-high by losing their fifth straight and fell a half-game behind the Blue Jays.
"Obviously, we're not playing the way we're capable of right now," Gallardo said/
Toronto, which won for the 16th time in 22 games, had not been alone atop its division since a 2-0 start. The Blue Jays have scored seven or more runs in an inning three times this season.
"I feel we're starting to play good ball," Toronto catcher Russell Martin said.
Kevin Pillar had two hits and drove in four runs to match his career high. Major league RBIs leader Edwin Encarnacion drove in his 89th run.
Happ (14-3) allowed one run and three hits in seven-plus innings.
"He hit his spots pretty well today," Baltimore's Mark Trumbo said. "There won't a whole lot to hit."
Baltimore is winless in five games at Toronto this season and has lost 12 of its past 17 away from home.
"That was the best effort we could muster up and it wasn't much," Trumbo said. "We've got to come back tomorrow and try to get one of these games and keep it moving."
Happ walked three and matched his season-high with 11 strikeouts in what manager John Gibbons called "a dominating outing." Happ struck out a career-high 12 against Baltimore on Aug. 7, 2014.
Alvarez connected on an 0-2 pitch with two out in the second, his 13th.
Travis tied it with a line-drive homer off Gallardo (3-3) in the fifth. Jose Bautista and Josh Donaldson walked, Encarnacion hit an RBI double and Michael Saunders was intentionally walked.
"I just wasn't able to get ahead of guys like I was doing early in the game," Gallardo said.
Mychal Givens walked Troy Tulowitzki, then gave up two-run doubles to Russell Martin and Kevin Pillar.
Showalter said Givens had a flat breaking ball.
"They're a good offensive team, they make you pay for mistakes," Showalter said.
Baltimore chased Happ in the eighth and loaded the bases against Joe Biagini with no outs but couldn't score. Jonathan Schoop grounded into a fielder's choice, Manny Machado flied out and Brett Cecil came on to strike out Chris Davis.
"We know we're going to have to score more than one but Happ didn't make that possible," Showalter said.
UP NEXT
RHP Chris Tillman (14-3), Baltimore's scheduled starter Sunday, allowed six runs and nine hits in five innings in a 6-3 loss to Colorado in his last outing. Toronto RHP Aaron Sanchez (11-1) has won his past 10 decisions.