BALTIMORE — It’s tough enough these days for the Baltimore Orioles to get 27 outs in a winning effort.
Getting 28 outs and a victory proved far too difficult a task Sunday against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Jose Bautista and Alex Gonzalez hit consecutive homers in the eighth inning after a two-out error by Miguel Tejada, and the Blue Jays beat the Orioles 5-2 to complete a three-game sweep.
Kevin Millwood (0-1) took a three-hitter and a 2-1 lead into the eighth. The right-hander retired the first two batters before Tejada — a career shortstop now playing third base — misplayed a sharp grounder by John McDonald.
“I wish I could catch that ball. I tried my best,” Tejada said.
Bautista then hit a 1-2 pitch into the left-field seats to put Toronto ahead for the first time. Gonzalez followed with his second homer of the game, a drive inside the foul pole in left.
Game over.
“When things aren’t going right for you and you give the other club a four-out inning, that’s what happens,” Orioles manager Dave Trembley said.
It was the first error of the season for Tejada, who has worked hard to make the transition to the hot corner.
“Even (Evan) Longoria, a Gold Glove last year, can make an error. That’s an error anybody can make,” he said.
Tejada did, however, feel bad for Millwood.
“He pitched a great game. I’m really sorry what just happened,” Tejada said. “I wish I could catch the ball and he could win the game. But what can I do?”
It was Millwood’s second start since coming to the Orioles in an offseason trade with Texas. Before Tejada’s error, the only runners to reach were Gonzalez, who homered leading off the fourth, and McDonald, who singled twice and finished with three hits.
“Kevin was pitching great,” Toronto manager Cito Gaston said. “He kept our guys off balance most of the day. We just got an extra out. Sometimes you give an extra out to your opponent and it comes back to bite you. That happened to him today.”
Edwin Encarnacion made it 5-2 with a ninth-inning shot off Cla Meredith.
Baltimore is 1-5 this season, mainly because of its inability to hold a late lead. The Orioles have allowed runs in the eighth or ninth inning of every game, and 11 of the 27 runs they’ve yielded overall have come in the final two innings.
That — combined with the fact that Toronto has scored 12 of its 29 runs in the eighth and ninth — explains why the Blue Jays celebrated their first sweep in Baltimore since August 2004.
“I think we have to give most of the credit to the pitching staff. They keep us in games,” Bautista said. “They’ve given us a chance to do these type of things when the situations come up.”
Casey Janssen (3-0) pitched the seventh after Toronto starter Shaun Marcum gave up two runs and eight hits in six innings.
Kevin Gregg got three outs for his second save.
Baltimore scored all its runs in the first inning. Tejada hit an RBI double and Luke Scott followed with a run-scoring grounder.
After wasting a leadoff triple by Adam Jones in the third, the Orioles got only one runner past first base the rest of the way.
NOTES: Toronto has won five straight. … Baltimore reliever Koji Uehara (hamstring) threw 25 pitches off the mound in Sarasota, Fla., as part of his effort to return from the 15-day disabled list. … Gonzalez has four homers and at least one hit in all six games this season (9 for 26). … Orioles 2B Brian Roberts (abdominal strain) missed a second straight game and probably will be placed on the DL on Monday.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
