Field Level Media
Sep 1, 2021
Randal Grichuk hit a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning to snap a tie as the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the visiting Baltimore Orioles 5-4 Wednesday night in the rubber match of a three-game series.
Dillon Tate (0-5) allowed Bo Bichette's infield single and hit Teoscar Hernandez with a pitch to start the bottom of the eighth. Alejandro Kirk's deep flyout to center advanced the runners. Marcos Diplan replaced Tate and allowed Grichuk's sacrifice fly.
Jordan Romano pitched a perfect ninth with two strikeouts to earn his 15th save after Tim Mayza (5-2) pitched around a walk in the eighth.
Baltimore right-hander Matt Harvey allowed four runs, six hits and a walk in four innings without a strikeout for the first time in 27 starts this season.
Toronto left-hander Steven Matz allowed two runs, five hits and four walks while striking out five in five innings in the no-decision. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. had two hits and two RBIs as Toronto won for the fourth time in five games.
After Marcus Semien gave Toronto (70-62) the lead in the first with his 33rd homer of the season, the Orioles scored twice on bases-loaded walks in the second.
Ramon Urias and Anthony Santander singled and Jahmai Jones walked. Cedric Mullins and Ryan Mountcastle forced in runs with two-out walks.
Toronto scored three in the fourth.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. led off with an infield single, and Bichette forced him at second with a grounder to second. Bichette stole second and scored on a bloop single to right by Hernandez. Corey Dickerson singled with two outs to move Hernandez to third. Dickerson stole second and Gurriel hit a two-run single.
Jorge Mateo led off the sixth with a double against Tayler Saucedo and scored on a one-out single by Austin Wynns to bring Baltimore within 4-3.
Baltimore (41-91) tied the game in the seventh against Joakim Soria. Mountcastle walked and scored on Trey Mancini's double to left. Mancini was out trying to reach third on the throw home.
Tanner Scott allowed a double and a single in the bottom of the seventh, but Jorge Lopez retired Semien and Guerrero to end the threat.
Toronto promoted right-handers Bryan Baker and Nate Pearson from Triple-A Buffalo.
The Orioles recalled right-hander Dusten Knight and left-hander Alexander Wells from Triple-A Norfolk.
--Field Level Media