TORONTO — David Price allowed one run in seven innings and Jose Bautista drove in a pair of runs as the Toronto Blue Jays topped the Baltimore Orioles 5-1 on Saturday.
The Blue Jays (77-58) snapped a three-game losing skid against the Orioles with the win and improved to 8-6 this season against American League East opponents. Baltimore (65-70) is now 3-13 in its last 16 games.
Toronto holds a one-game lead on the New York Yankees for first place in the division. The Yankees were hosting the Tampa Bay Rays Saturday afternoon.
Price (14-5) gave up an RBI single to Caleb Joseph in the seventh. The lefty finished the game by allowing three hits while striking out eight for his fifth win as a member of the Jays. It was Price’s fourth home start since being acquired from the Detroit Tigers in July.
Orioles right-hander Mike Wright (2-4) went four innings allowing three earned runs on seven hits and striking out four. Wright lasted just 1 1/3 innings in his last start against the Blue Jays in June.
Bautista got Toronto on the board in the first with his 32nd home run of the season. The Blue Jays right-fielder added to the lead in the third with a ground rule double, which scored Kevin Pillar.
Toronto took a 3-0 lead in the fourth on Ben Revere’s RBI single.
The Jays added to their lead in the fifth with Justin Garcia on in relief. Troy Tulowitzki scored on an RBI ground out by Russell Martin. Ryan Goins then hit a ground rule double to left centre that scored Justin Smoak giving Toronto a 5-0 lead.
Bautista showed off his defensive game in the ninth inning by tracking a pop fly from Steve Pearce in shallow centre and making a diving grab.
Notes: The Blue Jays will send RHP Marco Estrada (11-8, 3.16 ERA) to the mound in Sunday’s series finale against the Orioles giving LHP Mark Buehrle another day of rest. Buehrle, who was supposed to start on Sunday, will now get the ball in Monday’s series opener in Boston. The Orioles will counter with RHP Chris Tilman (9-10, 4.87 ERA).
Source:: sportsnet.ca