Orioles done in by big inning, fall 8-4 to Toronto

The Orioles and Blue Jays entered the seventh inning tied at two. Half way through the frame, Baltimore trailed by six. The Jays chased O’s starter Gabriel Ynoa from the game, and broke the game open once Dillon Tate took the mound. Toronto held on, and the Orioles fell 8-4 at Camden Yards.

Ynoa turned in an impressive start, and kept the Blue Jays off the board in five of the first six innings. He worked efficiently, and gave Baltimore a chance to win the game.

Ynoa did run into some trouble in the fourth inning, and things nearly fell apart. Cavan Biggio turned around a low-and-away sinker and drove it over the center-field wall to give the Jays their first run of the game. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. stepped up next and quickly followed with a blast of his own that gave Toronto the lead.

Ynoa had to have been a bit rattled after the back-to-back jacks, and things nearly spiraled out of control. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. worked the count full before lining a fastball deep to center field. Orioles outfielder Austin Hays broke for the wall, timed his leap, and snagged the ball at the apex of his jump. Instead of back-to-back-to-back jacks, Guerrero had to abandon his home run trot and head back to the dugout.

Once Hays landed with the ball in his glove, he let out an emphatic cry and pounded his chest several times. Not only did he save a run, but he injected some energy into the team. Guerrero tipped his helmet in the direction of Hays, and Hays tipped his cap back. Trey Mancini ended the inning with a nice, sliding catch in right field.

Baltimore evened the score at two with a fielder’s choice by Anthony Santander in the fifth. Hanser Alberto came around to score after he singled to shallow center and advanced on a Mancini single.

Ynoa retired Justin Smoak to start the seventh, but Brandon Hyde went to the bullpen after a double by Randal Grichuck. Tanner Scott entered and walked the only two batters he faced to load the bases. Not exactly what Hyde had in mind...

Dillon Tate replaced Scott, but the rookie couldn’t find the zone either. Tate walked in the go-ahead run, and things spiraled out of control after that.

Biggio drove in two with a single to right field, Gurriel Jr. plated another with a single of his own. They weren’t home runs, but the top of the order hurt the O’s once again. This time, Guerrero Jr. didn’t miss out on the fun. Vlad drove in two with a double to left field, and the Blue Jays capped their scoring at eight.

The Orioles scored once in the seventh and eighth innings, but the game was out of reach. Mancini drove in Austin Wynns with a double in the seventh, and Wynns laced a solo shot in the eight to trim the lead to four.

Mancini also drove in Wynns with a double in the third inning for the first run of the game. Mancini finished an impressive 4-4 on the night, and Wynns finished 2-4.

Ynoa took the loss with a stat line of 6.1 innings, 6 hits, 3 runs, 1 K. He may not have made it through the fourth if it weren’t for Hays leaping grab, but he showed some poise by tossing two more scoreless innings. Ynoa is now 1-9 on the year.

Toronto opener Wilmer Font tossed two scoreless before be replaced by Anthony Kay. Kay allowed two runs through four innings, while the Orioles scored once off of Ryan Tepera and Jordan Romano.

Toronto left town with a series sweep, and the Orioles will take on Seattle tomorrow evening. It’s “Fan Appreciation Weekend” at Camden Yards. Anyone still watching this team deserves to be appreciated.