Martin hits three-run HR, Blue Jays beat Orioles 10-9
TORONTO (AP) After a fast start, the Blue Jays survived a furious finish to overcome the Orioles.
Russell Martin hit a three-run homer, Kevin Pillar had a solo shot and Toronto held on after a five-run first inning to beat Baltimore 10-9 on Sunday.
''We outlasted them,'' Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said.
Edwin Encarnacion scored three runs and extended his streak of reaching base safely to nine plate appearances before grounding into a fielder's choice in the sixth as the Blue Jays took three of four from the AL East leaders.
Encarnacion hit three home runs in that span, including a game-ending blast Friday night.
Jason Grilli gave up a bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the ninth but struck out Jonathan Schoop with runners at the corners to end it for his first save.
''To win this series was pretty big,'' Grilli said
Grilli got the call in the ninth because closer Roberto Osuna was feeling sore, Gibbons said.
''Nothing major but we can't afford to lose him,'' Gibbons said.
The Blue Jays hit a season-high seven doubles, including four in the first inning.
Toronto has won eight of 10 at home and nine of 13 overall.
Adam Jones hit two of Baltimore five home runs, four of which came off Aaron Sanchez (6-1), but the Orioles lost their third straight after winning the previous five. Jones led off the fifth with a solo drive into the center field restaurant and added a two-run blast off Pat Venditte in the eighth, the 10th multihomer game of his career.
Sanchez allowed six runs and 10 hits in six innings. He came in having allowed four home runs in 12 previous starts this season, covering 80 1/3 innings.
''Just one bad inning,'' Sanchez said. ''They were able to lift some balls up, obviously, and the wind was doing its thing today.''
Orioles right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez (3-7) allowed five runs and six hits in 1-3 of an inning, the shortest start of his career.
''Even when I made a good pitch today, they hit it,'' Jimenez said.
Jimenez is 0-5 with a 10.12 ERA in five road starts.
''His stuff's not very crisp and he can't command a baseball right now,'' Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. ''That's a bad combination against a good-hitting team.''
Jimenez has won just once in seven starts. He's failed to finish two innings twice in his past four outings.
''He knows it's not good enough,'' Showalter said.
Down 7-1 after three innings, Baltimore closed the gap by hitting four homers in the fourth and fifth. Pedro Alvarez drilled a solo blast into the center field restaurant in the fourth, his seventh, and the Orioles hit three more in the fifth. Jones led off with his first homer, Chris Davis hit a two-run blast and Matt Wieters capped the surge with a solo shot.
Davis has homered in five straight games. He has 17 home runs in 44 career games at Rogers Centre and 35 homers against the Blue Jays since 2008, more than any other opponent.
Davis and Reggie Jackson share the Orioles record for home runs in consecutive games with six. Jackson did it in 1976 and Davis matched him in 2012.
Martin gave the Blue Jays some breathing room by connecting off Mychal Givens in the sixth, his fifth.
FOUR-TUNATE
Sanchez is the first pitcher in Blue Jays history to earn the win despite allowing four home runs.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Blue Jays: OF Jose Bautista (right thigh) was held out of the lineup for a third straight game. Gibbons said Bautista will likely return as the DH on Monday ... Josh Donaldson started at DH Sunday with Darwin Barney at 3B.
UP NEXT
Orioles: Baltimore is off Monday before opening a three-game series against Boston on Tuesday. RHP Chris Tillman (8-1, 3.01) starts for the Orioles against Red Sox LHP David Price (7-3, 4.63). Tillman has won seven straight decisions and is unbeaten since April 14 at Texas.
Blue Jays: RHP R.A. Dickey (4-6, 4.15) starts the opener of a two-game series against Philadelphia on Monday. Dickey beat Detroit on Wednesday, winning back-to-back starts for the first time this season. RHP Jerad Eickhoff (3-8, 3.68) starts for the Phillies.
