Jiménez throws eight scoreless innings as O's blank Blue Jays

TORONTO - Coming off a start where he allowed a career-high-tying nine runs in just 2 1/3 innings, no one could have expected this.

But Orioles right-hander Ubaldo Jiménez blanked the Toronto Blue Jays on two hits over eight innings as the Orioles beat the Jays 2-0 in front of 37,291 at Rogers Centre. It was a sensational outing for a pitcher that began the night at 2-3 with a 7.26 ERA.

Jiménez allowed just one walk and had eight strikeouts, throwing 98 pitches, 71 for strikeouts. He was in control all night as Blue Jays batters went 2-for-26 against him.

But he did not pitch the ninth. Brad Brach did, recording his 15th save. Had Jiménez finished off the shutout, he would produced the Orioles' first complete game since he threw one against Tampa Bay on Sept. 5, 2016. The O's last complete-game shutout was by Miguel Gonzalez versus Cincinnati on Sept. 3, 2014. Jiménez gave up a two-out double in the third and a two-out double in the eighth.

Jiménez was strong from the outset and needed just 27 pitches to get the first nine outs. He needed just nine pitches in a 1-2-3 first and 10 more in retiring the order in the second. He threw 13 or fewer pitches in an inning five times.

The Orioles played tonight without catcher Welington Castillo, who was a late scratch, with Caleb Joseph taking his spot in the lineup. Castillo was scratched with a left knee sprain. He has been on the disabled list already twice this season with a testicular injury and right shoulder tendinitis.

After Jiménez set down the first six batters on just 19 pitches, he got a 1-0 lead to work with in the third. Rubén Tejada led off with a single and advanced to third when Joey Rickard doubled to left on an 0-2 pitch. Jonathan Schoop advanced the runners with a one-out sac fly for his 49th RBI and the 1-0 lead.

It stayed that way until the Orioles made it 2-0 in the sixth. Joseph's two-out RBI single expanded their lead. It followed an Adam Jones single and walk to Trey Mancini. That made Joseph 2-for-3 on a night when he was not originally scheduled to start.

The Orioles improved to 39-39 and to 15-25 on the road. They complete a 4-2 road trip with this win and have back-to-back road series wins for the first time since winning at Toronto and Cincinnati between April 13-20.

The Orioles scored just five runs in this series, but allowed only five and only one in their two wins. Now they head home to face Tampa Bay over the weekend before they head out for their final road trip before the All-Star break.