Jays still wrong team for Wright (O's lose 13-3)

The combination of Mike Wright and Ubaldo Jimenez didn't work tonight at Camden Yards.

It did, however, stir up the home crowd, which offered up a selection of boos and sarcastic applause after the top of the fourth inning came to a merciful halt.

Wright was charged with eight runs and six hits over 3 2/3 innings, his second-shortest outing of the season. The last two runs scored after Jimenez replaced him.

More on Jimenez later. This was Wright's start and he goes first.

Wright walked a batter, struck out three, surrendered three home runs and hit a batter. He was gone after 73 pitches, including 50 for strikes.

In two starts since his "do-over" win against the Royals, Wright has allowed 12 runs and 12 hits in 8 2/3 innings in a pair of starts versus the Blue Jays. He's walked six and struck out six.

Wright's ERA has increased from 5.31 to 6.12 in 64 2/3 innings. Whether he makes his next start, slated for Wednesday against the Padres at Camden Yards, remains to be seen. But at least he won't be facing Toronto.

Before tonight, Wright was 0-3 with a 7.13 ERA and 2.208 WHIP in five career games (four) starts against the Blue Jays spanning 17 2/3 innings. It's gotten a lot worse.

Wright is now carrying a lifetime 9.28 ERA against the Blue Jays.

Wright threw 37 pitches in the first inning and surrendered a three-run homer to Michael Saunders. He needed only 10 pitches to retire the side in the second, but Josh Donaldson hit a solo home run in the third and the wheels came off in the fourth.

Russell Martin led off with a double and Justin Smoak hit a long home run to right field. Darwin Barney singled with two outs, Wright nicked Ezequiel Carrera with a pitch and manager Buck Showalter emerged from the dugout at the usual brisk pace.

Donaldson fell behind 0-2 to Jimenez and delivered a two-run triple to left-center field to complete Wright's line. Edwin Encarnacion walked and Saunders hit another three-run homer to give him a career-high six RBIs and the Blue Jays an 11-2 lead.

Fans grew more restless, to put it mildly, when Martin walked on four pitches, but Smoak struck out to at least stall the madness, if not end it completely.

This is Jimenez's first relief appearance since Sept. 28, 2015. He retired the Blue Jays in order in the fifth.

Does Wright get another start? The Orioles don't have an obvious alternative with Yovani Gallardo coming off the disabled list on Saturday as Jimenez's rotation replacement.

David Hale, who's on the 40-man roster, was scratched from tonight's start at Triple-A Norfolk. No explanation given at the moment.

Update: Hale was scratched due to calf spasms.

The Orioles have scored twice off Aaron Sanchez and wasted two prime bases-loaded situations. They could have made life a little easier for Wright.

Manny Machado had an RBI single in the first and Chris Davis walked to load the bases with no outs, but Mark Trumbo and Pedro Alvarez struck out and Jonathan Schoop grounded out.

Trumbo had an RBI single in the fourth after back-to-back singles by Hyun Soo Kim and Machado to start the inning. Alvarez walked to fill the bases, but Schoop flied to right and Machado was out at the plate on a disputed call.

The Orioles challenged, saying Martin violated the collision rule and didn't give Machado a path to the plate, but the argument fell on deaf ears. Or blind eyes in New York. Either way, Machado was ruled out.

Update II: Saunders hit a two-run homer off Jimenez in the sixth, giving him a career-high three home runs and eight RBIs and putting Toronto ahead 13-2.

Update III: Ryan Flaherty homered with two outs in the ninth in a 13-3 loss to the Blue Jays.

The Red Sox also lost, keeping the Orioles in first place in the American League East.