Blue Jays score walkoff win over Orioles in opener
TORONTO — Aledmys Diaz drove in Russell Martin in the 10th inning to give the Toronto Blue Jays an 8-7 walkoff victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night at the Rogers Centre.
Diaz hit a sharp grounder that deflected off the glove of Baltimore third baseman Renato Nunez. Shortstop Tim Beckham couldn’t come up with it and the ball rolled into left field, allowing Martin to score.
Martin had reached on a two-out infield single off left-hander Paul Fry (0-1), who walked Randal Grichuk before giving up Diaz’s fourth hit of the night.
Diaz, Martin and Grichuk all homered for the Blue Jays and starter Sam Gaviglio posted career highs of 7 2/3 innings pitched and eight strikeouts.
Toronto reliever Tyler Clippard blew a three-run lead in the ninth inning, allowing homers by Caleb Joseph and a tiebreaking solo shot from Jonathan Schoop.
John Axford (3-1) threw a clean 10th inning for the win.
Toronto outhit Baltimore 11-10 as the Blue Jays (44-52) took the opener of the three-game series.
The Blue Jays evened their home record at 25-25 on the season.
The last-place Orioles fell to 28-70.
Gaviglio retired the first six Orioles he faced before rushing a throw to first on Trey Mancini’s hard comebacker to open the third inning. Mancini took second base on the error but was left stranded.
Diaz put the Blue Jays on the board in the third with a solo homer off Baltimore starter Dylan Bundy. It was his ninth home run of the season.
Baltimore will send Alex Cobb (2-12, 6.41 earned-run average) to the mound today against Marcus Stroman (2-7, 5.86). It will be Stroman’s first appearance since a profanitylaced post-game media availability in Boston before the All-Star break.