Orioles avoid sweep with 6-2 win over Blue Jays

Jonathan Schoop hit a go-ahead single while Adam Jones launched a three-run home run in the 12th inning on Sunday afternoon as the Baltimore Orioles beat the Toronto Blue Jays 6-2.

The Orioles erupted for four runs in the 12th and re-took the lead in the American League East division with the victory. Toronto (59-46) now trails Baltimore by a 1/2 game for top spot in the division.

Jones’ three-run homer came off Jesse Chavez and also helped the Orioles (59-45) halt their five-game losing skid and avoid the three-game sweep. Franklin Morales (0-1) was charged with the loss.

Baltimore closer Zach Britton pitched a scoreless ninth and 10th before Mychal Givens did the same in the 11th. Givens (8-1) was credited with the victory.

Toronto starter Aaron Sanchez pitched seven solid innings allowing two runs, four hits and two walks. The 24-year-old leads the American League with a 2.71 earned-run average.

Baltimore starter Chris Tillman pitched 5 2/3 innings allowing two runs while scattering five hits and striking out six.

Newly-acquired reliever Joaquin Benoit, Roberto Osuna, Jason Grilli and Brett Cecil pitched four scoreless innings for Toronto, but Morales struggled out of the gate in the 12th.

He issued a four-pitch walk to Pedro Alvarez to begin the inning before Alvarez moved to second on a balk and scored on Schoop’s single. After J.J. Hardy walked, Chavez came on in relief and gave up a no-doubter to Jones, his 20th of the season.

The Blue Jays drew first blood in the second after Devon Travis delivered with an RBI fielder’s choice that scored Russell Martin.

Troy Tulowitzki led off the fourth by greeting Tillman’s first pitch with an absolute rocket off the facade of the 500 level at Rogers Centre. The solo shot was Tulowitzki’s 18th homer of the season, giving Toronto a 2-0 lead.

Tulowitzki was hit on the fingers of his right hand by Tillman in the sixth inning. The shortstop was in considerable pain but played on for a bit before being removed following the seventh.

The Blue Jays lost their designated hitter as a result of Tulowitzki’s injury. Josh Donaldson, who started the game as the DH, took Darwin Barney’s spot in the batting order while Barney, who started at third, replaced Tulowitzki at short.

Sanchez had just 73 pitches through six scoreless innings, but Baltimore got to him in the seventh. Chris Davis led off with a walk and Mark Trumbo followed with a double. Davis scored on an RBI groundout by Alvarez and Trumbo plated after a Matt Wieters’ sacrifice fly to tie the game at 2-2.

Notes: Blue Jays outfielder Junior Lake cleared waivers and was sent to triple-A Buffalo while also being removed from the 40-man roster.