Key plays lift Jays to win over Baltimore

BALTIMORE • That column housing the Blue Jays batting averages can be depressing for a fan.

Or the man who gets to write the names down on paper each night

Last year’s most feared lineup in baseball has the look of a convoy on an Interstate.

Russell Martin took a .146 average into Tuesday night’s opener at Camden Yards.

Troy Tulowitzki was hitting .140, while Ezequiel Carrera (. 167) and Josh Thole (. 111) were also headed south on the I-75.

Meanwhile Justin Smoak (. 083) and Chris Colabello (. 077) are lost on a dusty twolane road.

Marcus Stroman pitched seven innings and Roberto Osuna picked up a four- out save now that he’s back from a trip to Finger Nails R Us as the Jays edged the Baltimore Orioles 4-3 before 16,783.

Yet, the Blue Jays do not move over .500 (for the first time since April 5) without a two- run double from Tulowitzki, Smoak going 1-for-2 with a pair of walks and Martin drawing a walk.

Osuna was not available on Monday after splitting a finger nail. He recorded the final out of the eighth Mark Trumbo on a fly ball and set down the Orioles 1-2- 3. For Osuna it was his fifth save.

ANOTHER STRO SHOW: The Orioles touched up Stroman for a pair of home runs. Manny Machado in t he fourth to cut the Jays lead to 3-1 and Matt Wieters in the seventh to make it a one-run game.

Tulowitzki ranged far to his right, fielded Trumbo’s grounder and flipped a one hopper across the diamond to first baseman Smoak, who scooped the ball out of the dirt ... and then it came free. Wieters hit a 1-1 pitch to right for a two-run homer.

Stroman allowed a line drive homer to straightaway centre to Machado on an 0-1 pitch with one out in the fourth. Stroman threw 101 pitches (67 strikes) allowing six hits while walking one and striking out three.

IN GAME: Former Maryland Terp Brett Cecil took over for Stroman in the eighth, allowed a one- out double to Machado, walked Nolan Reimold on four pitches and popped up Chris Davis before Osuna took over ... Michael Saunders doubled to right leading off the third and one out later Bautista lined a single which would have scored most leadoff men from second, but Saunders broke back on the play. Tulowitzki then doubled past a diving Joey Rickard in left scoring Saunders and Bautista. Smoak then lined a one hopper to right but Tulowitzki was out easily on Trumbo’s throw to the plate ... Jays scored the first run of the game with only one base hit in the second. Edwin Encarnacion led off by lining a pitch into the left field corner. One out later O’s starter Mike Wright walked Smoak and Martin on a total of 11 pitches. Ryan Goins hit a ground ball inside the bag at first which scored Encarnacion.