Stroman Pitches 7 Sharp Innings, Jays Beat Orioles 4-1
TORONTO (AP) — Marcus Stroman pitched seven sharp innings, Aledmys Diaz had two hits and the Toronto Blue Jays beat Baltimore 4-1 on Saturday for their sixth straight win over the struggling Orioles.
Baltimore right-hander Alex Cobb picked up his major league-worst 13th loss as the Orioles dropped to 1-8 against Toronto this season.
Stroman (3-7) allowed one run and five hits. He threw a season-high 107 pitches, the first time this season he has topped 100.
Stroman is 3-2 with a 3.03 ERA in five starts since returning from a shoulder injury that caused him to miss more than a month.
Seunghwan Oh worked the eighth and Ryan Tepera finished for his seventh save in 12 opportunities.
The first three Orioles batters of the game singled off Stroman, although Jonathan Schoop was thrown out trying to stretch his hit into a double. After Adam Jones gave Baltimore a 1-0 lead with an RBI hit to right, Mark Trumbo grounded into a inning-ending double play.
The Blue Jays answered with a three-run fourth against Cobb, taking advantage of a key Orioles error.
Justin Smoak opened the inning with a walk and, following a video review, was ruled safe at second after Cobb's high throw pulled shortstop Tim Beckham off the base on at attempted force play. Randal Grichuk followed with an RBI double, a second run scored on Diaz's double play grounder, and Luke Maile capped the rally with an RBI single.
Diaz had four hits Friday, including the game-winning single in the 10th. He went 2 for 3 Saturday with a pair of singles.
The Blue Jays made it 4-1 in the fifth when Teoscar Hernandez doubled, advanced on a fly ball and scored on Cobb's balk.
Cobb (2-13) lost his sixth straight decision, allowing four runs, one earned, and four hits in five innings.
Grichuk made the defensive play of the game, a running catch on the warning track in left center to retire Trumbo for the first out of the ninth.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Orioles: Baltimore is expected to demote a reliever when RHP Andrew Cashner (neck) is activated off the 10-day disabled list Sunday.
UP NEXT
Cashner (2-9, 4.56) last pitched July 10, when he allowed five runs and five hits in 6 1-3 innings against the Yankees. Blue Jays LHP J.A. Happ (10-6, 4.29) is 0-3 with a 9.75 ERA in three July starts.
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