Stro, Joey Bats, Smoak lift Blue Jays
TORONTO — Jose Bautista and Justin Smoak both had solo home runs to lift the Toronto Blue Jays over the Baltimore Orioles, 4-0, in American League baseball action Wednesday night.
Marcus Stroman (8-4) was superb for Toronto (37-40), striking out eight in 7 2/3 innings, allowing five hits and issuing just one walk. Relievers Danny Barnes and Roberto Osuna closed out the game for the Blue Jays.
Bautista drove in another run and set up an unearned run with a fielder’s choice in the fourth.
Wade Miley (3-6) gave up four runs — three earned — and struck out five in five innings of work as Baltimore (38-39) had a three-game win streak snapped.
Bautista led off the game in the first with a home run to right field, backing Seth Smith up to the wall for a 1-0 lead. He hadn’t hit a home run to the opposite field since Sept. 12, 2015, in a 12-5 victory over the New York Yankees. Smoak added to Toronto’s lead with a homer to dead centre in the bottom of the fourth. It was Smoak’s 21st of the season, a new career high for the eight-year veteran.
Bautista piled on later in the fourth. With the bases loaded he hit a sharp grounder to Baltimore shortstop Paul Janish, who flipped the ball to second. However, second base umpire Ted Barrett ruled Kevin Pillar safe and Jonathan Schoop’s throw to first pulled Trey Mancini off the base, letting Bautista reach safely.
The ball rolled out from under Mancini, allowing Steve Pearce to score from third and Pillar to advance to another base to make it 4-0.
Stroman pounded his chest as the 38,847 in attendance at Rogers Centre gave him a standing ovation as he left the game with two out in the eighth. Barnes gave up a walk but then fanned Schoop to end the eighth. Osuna struck out Adam Jones, Mark Trumbo and Mancini to close out the game.