TORONTO (AP) — Alejandro Kirk hit a three-run home run, Chris Bassitt struck out a season-high nine in seven innings to snap a three-start losing streak and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Baltimore Orioles 5-2 on Tuesday night.
Addison Barger hit a two-run double in Toronto’s five-run sixth inning as the Blue Jays handed Baltimore its 14th loss in its last 24 games. The Orioles fell behind the rained out Yankees atop the AL East for the first time since June 26.
Orioles right-hander Grayson Rodriguez was scratched minutes before the first pitch because of pain in his upper back and shoulder and will return to Baltimore for imaging, manager Brandon Hyde said.
Hyde said Rodriguez had no pain until he started preparing for Tuesday’s outing.
“He’s been feeling fine, threw a really good bullpen in Cleveland,” Hyde said. “It just came up tonight while he was warming up.”
Right-hander Albert Suárez started in place of Rodriguez and struck out six over five scoreless innings.
“To give us five innings in that kind of spot, that’s unbelievable,” Hyde said.
Suárez said he had about 20 minutes notice before the emergency start but was able to get ready in time.
“For me, it’s just whatever it takes to help the team,” he said. “That’s what I’m here for. I’m always going to be ready for the team out there.”
Toronto’s Daulton Varsho made a leaping catch at the wall to rob Gunnar Henderson in the seventh inning, and left fielder Joey Loperfido earned cheers in his Toronto debut with a diving play on Colton Cowser in the first.
Bassitt praised Varsho for his latest highlight-reel play.
“If he doesn’t win the Platinum Glove, we need to get rid of it,” Bassitt said. “He’s the best defender in all of baseball and it’s not even close.”
Bassitt (9-10) allowed two runs on three hits and walked two.
“I probably had my best slider I’ve had in years today,” he said.
Bassitt didn’t allow a hit until Orioles rookie Jackson Holliday homered with one out in the sixth.
“We didn’t do much off Bassitt the entire night,” Hyde said. “He really kept us off balance.”
Cowser finished 0 for 3, ending his career-best hitting streak at 17 games.
Bassitt walked Adley Rutschman to begin the eighth and left after back-to-back singles by Ryan Mountcastle and Eloy Jiménez loaded the bases.
Left-hander Génesis Cabrera replaced Bassitt and walked pinch hitter Austin Slater to force in a run. Cabrera struck out Ramón Urías and pinch hitter Coby Mayo before Anthony Santander grounded out to end the threat.
Right-hander Chad Green finished for his ninth save in nine chances.
Burch Smith replaced Suárez in the sixth and retired the first two batters before Vladimir Guerrero Jr. singled.
Left-hander Gregory Soto (2-5) came on but didn’t retire any of the first five batters he faced. Spencer Horwitz singled before Kirk homered to left, his first since June 10. Varsho doubled and Ernie Clement was intentionally walked, and both runners advanced on a double steal before scoring on Barger’s hit.
“I was missing with my sliders, my breaking pitches,” Soto said through a translator. “I wasn’t really able to command it and I paid the price for that.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Orioles: C James McCann underwent a successful nasal reduction realignment procedure Monday, the team said. McCann was hit in the face by a fastball in Game 1 of a doubleheader against Toronto last Monday. He was treated for a severe bloody nose and stayed in the game.
UP NEXT
LHP Trevor Rogers (2-10, 4.76 ERA) is scheduled to make his second start for Baltimore on Wednesday. RHP Bowden Francis (4-2, 5.68) goes for Toronto.
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