Hammel leaves game, Orioles lose lead (O's lose 7-6)

Jason Hammel won't be satisfied with tonight's start. He's a harsh critic. But he had a chance to register his eighth victory of the season and his seventh on the road. It won't happen. Toronto shortstop Munenori Kawasaki continues to harass the Orioles, launching a two-run homer off Tommy Hunter in the seventh inning to tie the game 6-6. It was Kawasaki's first major league home run, and the first allowed by Hunter since May 24 in Toronto - a span of 12 appearances. Kawasaki doesn't look like he's got much power, but he pulled a 91 mph cutter without extending his arms, giving him three RBIs tonight. He also cranked up the volume at Rogers Centre. Eight of Kawasaki's 17 RBIs this season are against the Orioles. Darren O'Day struck out Jose Bautista to strand the potential go-ahead run at second base. Hammel allowed four runs and four hits in six innings, with one walk, seven strikeouts and two home runs. He threw 98 pitches, 66 for strikes. Because of Kawasaki's home run, Hammel is denied the chance to give the Orioles two eight-game winners before the end of June since Kris Benson and Erik Bedard in 2006. R.A. Dickey allowed six runs and seven hits in six innings, with two walks, five strikeouts and three home runs. In three starts against the Orioles this season, he's surrendered 16 runs and 22 hits, and walked 10 batters, in 18 2/3 innings. That's not good. That's nothing like his one-hit shutout with the Mets last season. Down on the farm, Nolan Reimold is 0-for-3 tonight at Double-A Bowie and 0-for-13 on his rehab assignment. Caleb Joseph hit his team-leading 14th home run. Update: Rajai Davis singled off Pedro Strop in the bottom of the ninth inning to give Toronto a 7-6 victory over the Orioles. Strop replaced Brian Matusz with runners on second and third. Davis is now 2-for-3 lifetime against Strop. Small sample size. Big disappointment for the Orioles after taking a 6-4 lead. Down on the farm, Reimold collected a two-run single in his fourth at-bat tonight.