Blue Jays use 7-run inning to beat Orioles, jump into first place in AL East
Posted July 30, 2016 4:41 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
TORONTO – Devon Travis hit a home run, Kevin Pillar drove in four, and the Blue Jays used a seven-run fifth inning en route to a 9-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday afternoon that moved Toronto into sole position of first place in the American League East.
Shut out through the first four innings, the Blue Jays (59-45) sent 11 batters to the plate in their decisive seven-run fifth.
The offensive outburst backed a solid start from left-hander J.A. Happ (14-3), who struck out 11 and allowed one run on two hits through seven innings.
Toronto trailed 1-0 heading into the fifth and started rolling with a one-out home run from Travis. Baltimore pitchers then walked four of the next five batters, including an intentional walk to Michael Saunders.
Edwin Encarnacion, Russell Martin and Pillar combined to drive in five runs with doubles in the fifth. Troy Tulowitzki earned an RBI for a bases-loaded walk.
Pedro Alvarez accounted for the lone run for the Orioles (58-44) with a home run.
The loss was the first for Yovani Gallardo(3-3) versus the Blue Jays, who had been 4-0 with a 1.78 earned-run average heading into the game.
The Blue Jays had not been in first place in the division since winning their first two games of the year.
With the way Gallardo had dominated the Blue Jays in the past, it looked like they had blown a meaningful opportunity in the first inning. Toronto loaded the bases with just one out, but Tulowitzki popped out and Martin struck out to keep the game scoreless.
Alvarez gave Baltimore a 1-0 lead with his solo home run off Happ in the top of the second inning.
The win tied Happ for the Major League lead with Chris Sale of the White Sox, Rick Porcello of the Red Sox, Chris Tillman of the Orioles and Stephen Strasburg of the Nationals.
