5-run sixth undoes the O’s
Batters do their part, but pitching staff falters after starter Wright unravels
TORONTO — The Orioles offense did its part against the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday afternoon, hitting three homers and scoring six runs. But a pitching staff that issued a season-high eight walks couldn’t keep Toronto hitters off the bases in an 11-6 loss at Rogers Centre.
Toronto scored five runs in the sixth inning, taking control on Edwin Encarnacion’s three-run homer off left-hander T.J. McFarland (1-2).
Orioles right-hander Mike Wright failed to get an out in the sixth inning and was charged with four runs on 12 base runners — six hits, a career-high five walks and a hit batter.
“Not only him, but the team has to battle,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said of Wright’s walks. “I mean, standing out there on a hot day on that turf, that is why what our guys did offensively is that much more impressive. That’s a grind for everybody.”
Wright had thrown 101 pitches when he was sent out for the sixth inning, but he lasted just one more batter, allowing a leadoff single to Kevin Pillar.
“It was one pitch away from not being a rough one,” Wright said. “I don’t consider this a rough one. When I came out of the game, we were still in a good situation.”
Right-handed relievers Mychal Givens and Dylan Bundy were unavailable. Righthander Brad Brach could have been used for an inning, but only later in the game. Showalter wanted to save right-hander Vance Worley in case he needs a long reliever today. So the manager turned to the left-handed McFarland.
After Darwin Barney singled to put runners at the corners, the Blue Jays turned the lineup over with two right-handed pinch hitters. Devon Travis drove in Pillar with a sacrifice fly, and Russell Martin drew a walk. McFarland then walked left-handed hitter Ezequiel Carrera.
Showalter stuck with McFarland against the Blue Jays’ two best right-handed hitters. Josh Donaldson hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly before Encarnacion hammered a 1-0 sinker from McFarland, sending the announced sellout crowd of 47,651 into a frenzy.
“It’s real tough,” McFarland said. “Obviously, our offense is incredible right now and really as a pitching staff all we need to do is kind of put up some zeroes when we need it and today I wasn’t able to do that.”
The Orioles bullpen gave up seven runs, its most in a game since Sept. 30 against Toronto.
Showalter said he would consider summoning bullpen reinforcements from the minors before today’s game.
Manny Machado gave the Orioles a 4-3 lead in the sixth with a solo homer off starter J.A. Happ, his 16th of the season. Joey Rickard hit his fifth homer of the season. Crushing in Toronto: Davis tied the game at 3 in the fourth inning with a two-run homer, his 15th of the season, off the left-handed Happ. Davis now has a homer in each of his past four games.
Davis turned on a first-pitch slider from Happ, sending it down the right-field line.
Saturday’s homer marked Davis’ 15th at Rogers Centre since the beginning of the 2012 season, the most of any opposing hitter at the domed park over that span. Orioles killer: Encarnacion not only hit the game-winning homer Saturday, but he also added a solo homer in the eighth inning off Orioles left-hander Brian Duensing for his 23rd career multihomer game.
Including his walk-off homer in the 10th inning Friday night, Encarnacion hit three homers in a span of four official at-bats. That includes two walks Saturday.