Hunter with an early exit as O's lose Toronto series opener

Tommy Hunter entered this start winless since April 24 with a 6.17 ERA over his past four starts, and things didn't get any better for him tonight in Toronto. Hunter was knocked out even before getting an out in the bottom of the fourth as the Blue Jays beat the Orioles 6-2 at the Rogers Centre. The Orioles have now lost three in a row to match a season high and have lost six of their last eight games to fall to 29-20. Hunter gave up a run just two batters into the game. He allowed homers in the third and fourth innings and fell to 2-3 with an ERA of 5.59. He lasted just three innings and two batters and gave up nine hits and six runs (five earned), throwing 69 pitches. Hunter now has an ERA of 7.18 over his last five starts and is 0-2 with an ERA of 8.31 this season in five road starts. He has allowed 13 homers in 58 innings. Edwin Encarnacion and Kelly Johnson hit two-run homers for Toronto, which ended the Blue Jays' five-game losing streak. Toronto is now 25-24 and 2-5 against the Orioles this season. Toronto starter Drew Hutchison, the 21-year-old right-hander that entered with a 5.73 ERA, pitched seven scoreless innings to get his fourth major league win. He gave up just three hits, walked three and struck out nine. Hutchison threw 114 pitches for a Toronto team that gave up 34 runs during a weekend where they were swept at Texas. Adam Jones singled in the top of the ninth after going without a hit over his first three at-bats. His single extended his hitting streak to 19 games. The Orioles threatened in the ninth inning but ultimately scored just two runs. Wilson Betemit drove in a run with a RBI single, and Mark Reynolds drove in Matt Wieters on a RBI double. The Orioles have scored just seven runs over the last three games. The Orioles fall to 15-7 in road games and 14-10 against the American League East. Jake Arrieta (2-5, 4.87 ERA) pitches against Ricky Romero (5-1, 3.86 ERA) in Game 2 of this series on Tuesday night at Toronto.