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 After starting a crucial month of August on a four-game losing
streak, which included a beatdown at the hands of the Baltimore
Orioles on Tuesday, the Blue Jays bounced back with a vengeance
Wednesday.
Right-hander Drew Hutchison threw 8 2/3 innings of one-run ball,
while Jose Bautista homered and drove in three runs to lead the Blue
Jays to a 5-1 victory over the Orioles at Rogers Centre.
"Perfect timing. We were struggling a little bit," Blue Jays manager
John Gibbons said. "It's a good ballclub. We needed that."
Bautista went 3-for-4 and hit his 22nd homer of the season in the
second inning. The right fielder drove in another run on a two-out
double in the sixth to help the Blue Jays (61-54) move to within
four games of the Orioles (64-49) in the American League East.
Left fielder Melky Cabrera had three hits, reached base four times
and scored two runs in front of an announced crowd of 33,054.
Hutchison (8-9) bounced back from a three-inning dud to turn in one
of his finest performances of the season. Other than a second-inning
homer he surrendered to first baseman Chris Davis, Hutchison didn't
allow a baserunner through the first eight innings.
The 23-year-old retired 22 consecutive after Davis' homer before
walking right fielder Nick Markakis with two outs in the ninth. He
allowed one hit, walked one and struck out eight as he continued his
dominance against Baltimore; Hutchison is 2-0 with a 0.98 ERA in
four starts (27 2/3 innings).
"That's just a glimpse of what we think he's going to be down the
road," Gibbons said. "He has a chance to be a real good one."
Toronto closer Casey Janssen got third baseman Manny Machado to pop
up to end the contest in a non-save situation. Janssen combined with
Hutchison for the 25th one-hitter in team history.
It was the first time the Orioles were held to one hit in a game
since June 18, 2012, against the Mets.
"It's a great start, but a little frustrating to walk the last guy,"
Hutchison said. "But you don't want to be too picky. ... I had every
chance to finish it, but unfortunately I walked Markakis."
The Orioles had a three-game winning streak snapped, and left-hander
Wei-Yin Chen (12-4) lost for the first time in six starts. His
five-game winning streak was the longest of his career.
Chen was battered around, and a high pitch count forced him from the
contest after five innings. The left-hander allowed four runs on
eight hits, walked two and struck out six.
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"We didn't give him much margin for error," Orioles manager Buck Showalter
said.
The Blue Jays wasted no time getting to Chen, putting two runs on the
board in the first inning with back-to-back RBI singles by catcher
Dioner Navarro and first baseman Danny Valencia.
Baltimore responded in the second inning when Davis launched an
opposite-field bomb -- his second homer in as many games and 19th of the
season -- into the second deck in left field to cut the lead in half.
The Blue Jays answered right back. Cabrera hit a two-out double in the
bottom of the inning before Bautista's homer gave Toronto a 4-1
advantage.
"I pitched it where I wanted to, but he still hit it. He's a great
hitter," Chen said of Bautista. "I wasn't able to control the game in
the first two innings; that's what I failed to do."
Baltimore will look to win a season-high sixth consecutive series in
Thursday's rubber match.
NOTES: Orioles RHP Ubaldo Jimenez (right ankle sprain) felt strong
during a bullpen session at Rogers Centre on Wednesday, and he hopes to
be activated from the disabled list later this week. ... Toronto 1B/DH
Adam Lind (right foot fracture) will begin a rehab assignment in the
rookie-level Gulf Coast League on Thursday. ... Blue Jays 2B/3B Brett
Lawrie (lower back tightness) missed Wednesday's game. Lawrie, who was
pulled from Tuesday's game after three innings, had an MRI, but the team
has yet to announce the results. ... The Orioles announced that RHP
Chris Tillman will get the ball for Friday's series opener against St.
Louis, but the other starters in the series are still to be determined.
... Baltimore RHP Miguel Gonzalez will face Toronto LHP J.A. Happ in
Thursday's series finale.
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