Orioles win in 12th, halt five-game skid
TORONTO -- Jonathan Schoop broke in a tie with an RBI single in the 12th inning, Adam Jones added a three-run homer in that inning and the Baltimore Orioles defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 6-2 Sunday afternoon to regain first place in the American League East.
The win ended a five-game losing streak for the Orioles (59-45) and put them a half game ahead or the Blue Jays (59-46) in the AL East.
Left-hander Franklin Morales (0-1) walked Pedro Alvarez to open the 12th inning. He committed a balk on a pickoff throw to first and Alvarez was awarded second base.
Alvarez scored when Schoop singled to left with one out. J.J. Hardy then walked and Jesse Chavez replaced Morales.
Jones hit the first pitch for his 20th homer of the season to give Baltimore a four-run cushion.
Mychal Givens (8-1), who pitched the bottom of the 11th and erased a walk with a double-play grounder, picked up the win.
Logan Ondrusek pitched a perfect bottom of the 12th for the Orioles.
Troy Tulowitzki homered for Toronto.
Blue Jays starter Aaron Sanchez allowed four hits, three walks and two runs in seven innings. The right-hander struck out three.
Orioles starter Chris Tillman allowed five hits, three walks and two runs in 5 2/3 innings. The right-hander hit a batter, allowed a home run and struck out six.
The Blue Jays took a 1-0 lead in the second. Russell Martin doubled with one out and took third on Kevin Pillar's infield single to third. Devon Travis forced Pillar at second on a grounder to short and avoided the double play by beating the throw to first as Martin scored.
Tulowitzki led off the bottom of the fourth with his 18th home run of the season, a drive to left on a first-pitch changeup.
Tillman struck out the first two batters in the bottom of the sixth before hitting Tulowitzki with a pitch and walking Martin.
Darren O'Day entered the game and ended the inning on Pillar's popout to first.
Chris Davis walked to open the Baltimore seventh and Mark Trumbo doubled to left. Davis scored when Alvarez grounded out to second.
Mark Wieters tied the game with a sacrifice fly to left.
Tulowitzki, who was hit on the hand by the pitch, left the game in the top of the eighth. Josh Donaldson, who had been the designated hitter, moved to third base. Darwin Barney, who started the game at third base, moved to shortstop, replacing Tulowitzki.
Joaquin Benoit replaced Sanchez in the eighth, allowing only an infield single.
Brad Brach pitched around a single in the bottom of the eighth for the Orioles.
Roberto Osuna pitched a perfect ninth for the Blue Jays, and Jason Grilli overcame a leadoff walk in the top of the 10th.
Orioles closer Zach Britton, who had a perfect ninth, pitched around a walk in the bottom of the 10th.
Left-hander Brett Cecil allowed only a two-out single in the top of the 11th.
NOTES: Blue Jays 3B Josh Donaldson started as DH Sunday with INF Darwin Barney playing third base. Donaldson tweaked his hamstring beating out an infield single on Saturday but it is not considered serious. ... Orioles OF Joey Rickard (right thumb ligament), who has a torn ligament in his right thumb that was injured July 20, will have be re-evaluated Monday and could have the bulky splint removed. The prognosis was that he would be out four to six weeks but the Orioles hope that he could return sooner. ... The Orioles have Monday off before they open a three-game series Tuesday at Camden Yards against the Texas Rangers. Orioles RHP Dylan Bundy (3-3, 3.46 ERA) will face Rangers RHP Yu Darvish (2-2, 3.09 ERA) on Tuesday. ... The Blue Jays open a four-game series Monday in Houston and will start RHP Marcus Stroman (8-4, 4.92 ERA). The Astros' starter had not been determined.