Hammel struggles again as Toronto evens series with the Orioles

For Jason Hammel, the search to find consistency and the form he showed the Orioles during the 2012 season continues. Hammel took a 3-2 lead to the sixth today, but gave up two runs that inning and was knocked from the game during Toronto's three-run seventh as the Blue Jays beat the Orioles 7-3 at Camden Yards. The game attracted a crowd of 46,150 and that was the fifth sellout of the season at Camden Yards. Hammel went six-plus innings, allowing 10 hits and six runs (all earned) along with two walks and one strikeout. He falls to 7-6 on the year with an ERA of 5.24. In eight home starts, Hammel is 1-4 with an ERA of 6.65. Last season he gave up four runs or more in just six of 20 starts. This year, he has done that in 10 of his 19 starts. Over the three previous games, O's starters had pitched to an ERA of 2.29, but Toronto scored twice against Hammel to get the lead with four straight two-out singles in the sixth and added three an inning later. Chris Davis homered for the third day in a row for the Orioles. His solo shot in the second was No. 36 and that is the most by the All-Star break since Barry Bonds hit 39 in 2001. It is the second-most by the break in AL history, behind Reggie Jackson's 37 in 1969. Davis has hit eight homers over his last 14 and 25 in his past 54 games. He has 37 RBIs over his last 30 games. Since the start of the 2012 season, he has 14 homers against Toronto. Adam Jones hit a solo homer in the fourth while Brian Roberts added a pair of doubles and an RBI for the Orioles, who have lost five of their last six against Toronto and are 5-7 against the Jays this season. The Orioles are now 52-43 with one game left before the All-Star break. They host Toronto Sunday at 1:35 p.m. when Scott Feldman (0-1, 7.15 ERA) faces Josh Johnson (1-4, 4.62 ERA).