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 That is enough to satisfy the Baltimore Orioles after the loss of
starting catcher Matt Wieters for the season with elbow surgery.
However, Joseph is suddenly starting to produce at the plate as
well.
The 28-year-old rookie catcher hit a home run in his fourth
consecutive game Thursday, and the two runs it produced in the
fourth inning against left-hander J.A. Happ made the difference in a
2-1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays.
"I'm just proud of the fact that when he doesn't do things
offensively, he's been very consistent in his priorities about
catching," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said.
The Orioles (65-49) overcame a career-best 12 strikeouts by Happ to
take the rubber match of the three-game series and open a five-game
lead over the Blue Jays (61-55) in the American League East
standings.
Happ (8-6) allowed five hits, one walk and two runs in eight
innings. His previous career high in strikeouts was 10 (twice) and
his previous best this season was eight.
"It was a 2-0 fastball that was supposed to be away and I pulled
it," Happ said of Joseph's home run. "I think it ended up probably
down and in, the spot where he's pretty good. Just a bad pitch, and
he didn't miss it."
The home run made a winner of right-hander Miguel Gonzalez (6-6),
who allowed four hits and one run -- on a home run by Toronto left
fielder Anthony Gose -- over six innings.
Joseph's homer was one of five hits allowed by Happ, whose previous
career best was 10 (twice). His previous best this season was eight.
"He was fantastic," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "That's a
game you normally think you're going to win. Gonzalez, he's always
been tough on us for whatever reason. ... We had the one shot,
second and third (in the fourth). Couldn't push anything across and
of course Gose hit the homer and that was it."
Joseph was promoted from Triple-A Norfolk on May 7 and, after
Thursday's 1-for-3 game, is batting .220 with seven homers and 19
runs batted in. His homers in four consecutive games tied a club
record for catchers set in 1959 by Gus Triandos and equaled in 2006
by Ramon Hernandez.
"I've gone into a couple weeks here where I feel like improvement
has been made," Joseph said. "Just trying to continue you that. Kind
of getting back to what I did last year. Had a good year hitting
last year. You get up here and struggle early on and you search to
put the ball in play with hard contact. So you may tinker with a few
things. And so we kind of talked about it and went back to what I
did last year and that includes standing up a little taller and
trying to hit down on the ball and create some backspin."
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Left-hander Andrew Miller had a 1-2-3 seventh after taking over
from Gonzalez. Right-hander Darren O'Day pitched the eighth for the
Orioles and walked right fielder Jose Bautista with two out before
ending the inning on a grounder to short by catcher Dioner Navarro.
Left-hander Zach Britton pitched the ninth to earn his 24th save.
Blue Jays designated hitter Melky Cabrera was plunked on the right
elbow by Gonzalez in the first inning. Cabrera stayed in the game
and went to first base. But in the third inning, outfielder Nolan
Reimold batted for him.
The club said Cabrera was removed as a precaution and X-rays of the
elbow were negative.
"He got him pretty good," Gibbons said. "He's got a nice welt and
seam marks on his arm. It just locked up on him when he was trying
to hit underneath the stands there."
Joseph's homer in the fourth came with one out and scored shortstop
J.J. Hardy, who led off with a double.
Gose led off the bottom of the fifth inning with his first home run
of the season on a drive to right field.
NOTES: 3B Brett Lawrie (strained left oblique) was put on the 15-day
disabled list on Thursday and LHP Rob Rasmussen was recalled from
Triple-A Buffalo. Lawrie had just returned from a broken finger
suffered June 22 when he was hit by a pitch. He played three innings
and had a single on Tuesday before the oblique injury forced him
from the game. ... DH Adam Lind (right foot fracture) was 2-for-2
with a double in a Rookie Gulf Coast League game on Thursday and
could return Monday when Toronto opens a series in Seattle. ... Blue
Jays 1B Edwin Encarnacion (right quadriceps strain) could also
return next week. ... Orioles RHP Ubaldo Jimenez (right ankle
sprain) will come off the disabled list to start against the St.
Louis Cardinals on Saturday. ... RHP R.A. Dickey (9-11, 4.03 ERA)
will start Friday for Toronto against Detroit RHP Anibal Sanchez
(8-5, 3.37 ERA). ... The Orioles open a three-game series against
the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday at Camden Yards and will start RHP
Chris Tillman (8-5, 3.78 ERA) against RHP Justin Masterson (5-6,
5.63 ERA).
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