Game update and more on roster moves (O's win 4-2)

Making his first start today since April 22, Orioles right-hander Yovani Gallardo struck out the first two batters looking, his fastball topping out at 91 mph on the ballpark's radar gun. He issued a walk to Edwin Encarnacion and gave up a single to Michael Saunders before stranding both runners on Justin Smoak's popup.

The Blue Jays worked Gallardo for 24 pitches. But at least he kept Saunders in the ballpark. The guy hit three home runs last night. Take the single with a smile.

Gallardo needed only five pitches to retire the side in order in the second.

The Orioles scored twice off knuckleballer R.A. Dickey in the bottom of the first, and no one was credited with an RBI. Jonathan Schoop and Manny Machado doubled, and Schoop raced home on the throw to third base. Machado scored on a passed ball by catcher Josh Thole.

Machado ran hard out of the box on his double off the out-of-town scoreboard in right and he was thinking triple as Schoop slammed on the brakes. The bad throw prevented a rundown. I assumed there would be an error charged, but that wasn't the case.

Shortstop J.J. Hardy received a nice ovation as his name was read during the pregame introductions. He played catch with Machado in front of the dugout jogged onto the field for the anthems. He fielded Troy Tulowitzki's ground ball leading off the second and made the throw to draw another ovation.

It's almost like he never left.

Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura dropped the appeal on his nine-game suspension, had it reduced to eight and will begin serving it immediately.

Ventura drilled Machado in the back during a June 7 game at Camden Yards, which led to a benches-clearing brawl. Machado has been suspended four games.

Before the Orioles optioned left-hander T.J. McFarland, who's starting Monday for Triple-A Norfolk, manager Buck Showalter talked about the challenges of setting up the roster with Machado's suspension looming - the club must play a man down - no off day on Monday due to the rainout in Texas and a doubleheader on Saturday against the Rays.

"A big challenge with our moves is the pending loss of Manny," he said. "This is about as complicated a set of moves that you want to see. You feel a little more comfortable dealing with it if it's self-inflicted. There's a lot of moving parts in this one, boy. I think we've got a pretty good idea when Manny's suspension will come now."

The Orioles decided to carry an extra infielder rather than option Ryan Flaherty or designate Paul Janish. Showalter was asked about the risk of removing an infielder.

"(Mark) Trumbo started the year as Anaheim's third baseman. He's played nine games over there. It didn't go too well," Showalter quipped.

"We're going to be short somewhere regardless. That's part of the penalty, so kind of pick your poison. Dan (Duquette) and I have been talking about the move. Basically, you're picking the less of two bads. Try to keep your maneuverability. Obviously, we're going to need a starting pitcher now on Wednesday.

"There's a lot of different things contractually with guys you shouldn't and don't know about that play into it, too, as far as some outs and different stuff. And I think we deal with it every day down in Norfolk with guys with different outs. One (Andy Oliver) left and came back to us, right?"

Showalter would like for Mike Wright to return to the Orioles with renewed confidence and command of his pitches. Wright was optioned to Norfolk last night after meeting with Showalter following a 13-3 loss, a conversation that was "very similar to last time."

"Talked about a lot of things in a private conversation," Showalter said. "There probably isn't anybody in our lockerroom that had the level of success at Triple-A that he's had. To be frank, he can go down there and do real well, but there's still that jump to up here and it's just a process. He knows it's not good enough.

"What's tough is first two or three pitches, there was the power sinker down and away. He won the battle with the first hitter and you think you're on your way and then you get a 3-2 pitch that doesn't go his way. He made a very mature statement. Like I told you all last night, there were four or five pitches last night that probably were balls that were called strikes. Obviously, it was a challenging night for the home plate umpire last night.

"He can't think that level's beneath him. He's got to go down there. And he doesn't. What you may see emotionally or whatever, Mike's got a grip on reality of what's going on and it's not good enough and he's going to go down and do the things it takes to get back here."

The Orioles are keeping Wright in turn and in the Norfolk rotation.

"We need him and it's as a starter," Showalter said. "I hear people talking about bullpen and all that other stuff. It's like the guy you always play him at the toughest position and the hardest to find. That's why a guy like (Ryan) Mountcastle is playing shortstop. You start them at the hardest position and work your way back. You don't start them at the lesser position. So Mike's going to go down there and start and I look forward to him coming back into play.

"You'd like to shorten the process, but sometimes it's step forward, step back, then step forward. And you realize it's not quite as complicated as they make it sometimes. You look at pure stuff, Mike's a big, strong, healthy right-handed pitcher. Good stuff. But you look at Tyler (Wilson) and you look at him, which one would a scout initially take? That's where you get in trouble, scouting off guns. And Mike's capable of pitching. It may not look like it, but Mike's capable of pitching.

"I guess it was about two weeks ago I looked at a couple starts he had in Triple-A and it wasn't just because of the level. It was quality. It would have played anywhere. I told him, 'You've got to hold yourself to a high standard. You'll make a pitch down there and you might get away with it, but seven, eight nine hitters down there are a lot different than seven, eight, nine hitters up here.' So he'll hold himself to a high standard, but there will be a little bit of a transition period.

"One thing he knows, I told him, 'Don't go down there and think you can just throw your glove out there.' And he knows that. He was ahead of me."

Update: Ezequiel Carrera homered in the top of the third and Schoop homered in the bottom half. Orioles 3, Jays 1.

Gallardo threw 30 pitches in the third and escaped a bases-loaded jam. He threw consecutive 92 mph fastballs to Tulowitzki to strike him out.

Update II: Gallardo allowed another run in the fourth on Kevin Pillar's leadoff walk and Devon Travis' double over the head of center fielder Adam Jones. Travis was an easy out at third trying for the triple.

Update III: The Orioles added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth and evened the series with a 4-2 victory over the Blue Jays.

Mark Trumbo was credited with his 51st RBI on a fly ball that dropped in front of Carrera, who made the throw to second base to retire Machado as Schoop scored.

Machado and Schoop each had three hits today.

Zach Britton recorded his 21st save after Mychal Givens tossed two scoreless innings and Brad Brach retired the side in order with two strikeouts in the eighth. It wasn't easy, though. Britton loaded the bases with one out before getting a 4-6-3 double play from Josh Donaldson.

Gallardo improved to 2-1 with a 6.26 ERA.

The Orioles remain in sole possession of first place with a 39-28 record.