Betemit's two-run single lifts the Orioles past Toronto

This time the Orioles got the key hit late in the game. Wilson Betemit's two-run single with two outs in the top of the eighth gave the Orioles a 6-5 lead and they won by a 7-5 score Friday night at Toronto in Game One of a three-game series. The win improves the Orioles to 4-3 on the year and was just their sixth win in their last 35 games at Rogers Centre, a building where they had gone 4-23 over the last three years.

It seemed each time the O's took a lead tonight Toronto quickly tied the score, usually with a homer. O's starter Tommy Hunter gave up five runs (four earned) over six innings plus one batter. He allowed a career-high tying four homers. Edwin Encarnacion's solo shot gave the Blue Jays a 5-4 lead in the last of the sixth. Earlier, Kelly Johnson, Yunel Escobar and Colby Rasmus all hit solo shots. Adam Jones went 3-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs for the Orioles but he struck out with runners on the corners and one out and the club down a run in the eighth. But Betemit, batting with the bases loaded after a walk to Matt Wieters, delivered the clutch hit to put the Orioles ahead. Nolan Reimold, who went 3-for-5 and started the eighth inning rally with a single, hit a solo homer in the ninth to provide the Orioles a two-run edge. Nick Markakis went 2-for-3 with an RBI for the Orioles, snapping an 0-for-14 stretch over the last four games. It was game one of a 10-game road trip for the Orioles, who were 9-27 against Toronto the last two seasons. The win came on the heels of the O's losing three straight to New York at Camden Yards. In game two of this series, Saturday afternoon at 4:07 p.m., Jason Hammel pitches for the Orioles against right-hander Henderson Alvarez.