TORONTO (AP) - Orioles right-hander Kevin Gausman didn’t expect his team’s struggling offense to produce much against Blue Jays ace Marcus Stroman.
As it turned out, the two runs Baltimore scored off Stroman in the first inning were just enough for Gausman to get the job done.
Adam Jones had two hits and an RBI, Gausman pitched seven strong innings and Baltimore beat Toronto 2-1 on Wednesday night, snapping a six-game losing streak.
The Orioles have scored two runs or fewer in six of their past seven.
“Stroman was pitching today so I knew runs were going to be at a premium,” Gausman said. “Once we got those two runs I just kind of told myself ’Hey, those are your runs, that’s all you’re going to get today.’ Unfortunately, that’s the way it was but luckily I was able to pound the strike zone, keep mixing my pitches and keep them off balance.”
Gausman (11-10) allowed one run and six hits, improving to 3-0 with a 1.51 ERA in six starts against the Blue Jays this season, as the Orioles won for the first time since Sept. 5 against the Yankees.
“That was very big,” said outfielder Trey Mancini, who hit an RBI triple in the first. “At this point in the year there’s not many games left so you want to win every single one. Today was a good start to try and get that rolling.”
The Orioles began the day 4 1/2 games behind Minnesota for the second AL wild card spot.
“We’re right there,” Gausman said. “We’ve just got to keep winning games.”
Kendrys Morales had three hits for the Blue Jays, whose four-game winning streak was halted.
Darren O’Day pitched the eighth and Zach Britton finished for his 14th save in 16 chances. Britton gave up two runs in the ninth inning Tuesday as the Orioles lost 3-2.
Baltimore’s Tim Beckham began the game by reaching on third baseman Josh Donaldson’s throwing error. Two outs later, Beckham scored when Jones doubled over the head of left fielder Teoscar Hernandez. Mancini followed with an RBI triple off the wall in center.
Toronto halved the deficit in the third when Hernandez hit a leadoff double and scored on Richard Urena’s bloop double to shallow left.
Baltimore loaded the bases with nobody out in the fourth but couldn’t score. Stroman struck out Seth Smith and Caleb Joseph grounded into a double play.
Blue Jays trainer George Poulis and manager John Gibbons came to the mound to check on Stroman in the sixth, but the right-hander stayed in the game after throwing one practice pitch. Stroman walked Davis to put runners at first and second with one out but escaped by getting Smith to ground into a double play.
Stroman (11-8) said he was briefly bothered by tightness in his forearm, chalking it up to lingering soreness from his Sept. 2 start at Baltimore when he was hit in the right elbow by a Mark Trumbo line drive and had to leave in the second inning.
“I’m still dealing with that and I threw six days after that,” said Stroman, who started against Detroit on Sept. 8. “Still battling, nothing I’m worried about. Got a little tightness on one particular pitch but it felt fine the pitch after.”
Stroman allowed two runs and six hits in six innings. He is winless in five starts.
ONE-DERFUL
Gausman has allowed one earned run or fewer in nine of his past 14 outings.
EARNINGS REPORT
Toronto lost without allowing an earned run for the second time this season. The Blue Jays lost 4-2 to Pittsburgh on Aug. 11 when the Pirates scored four unearned runs against Stroman.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Blue Jays: C Russell Martin returned to the lineup. Martin had been out since Aug. 11 because of a strained left oblique. … OF Steve Pearce is dealing with “lingering” back soreness, manager John Gibbons said. Pearce has not played since leaving Friday’s game after one at bat.
UP NEXT
Orioles: LHP Wade Miley (8-12, 4.96) starts as Baltimore begins a four-game series in New York against the Yankees. Miley has a 1.80 ERA in two starts against the Yankees. RHP Masahiro Tanaka (11-11, 4.82) starts for New York.
Blue Jays: LHP Brett Anderson (3-3, 5.90) starts the opener of a four-game series in Minnesota. Anderson allowed two runs in six innings to beat Detroit Saturday, his first win in three starts with Toronto. RHP Jose Berrios (12-7, 3.94) starts for the Twins.
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