Marco Estrada fans 12 as Blue Jays get series finale

The Orioles were looking for a three-game sweep of Toronto today. But right-hander Marco Estrada intervened to keep that from happening.

For the third time this year, the Blue Jays right-hander threw a quality start at the Orioles as Toronto took the series finale 3-1 this afternoon in front of 36,632 at Oriole Park.

Estrada tied his career-high with 12 strikeouts over 7 2/3 innings. He gave up five hits, one run and one walk and threw 115 pitches, about half of which were changeups. Estrada is 3-2 with an ERA of 3.30. This was his second career 12-strikeout game. He threw one on June 26, 2012 for Milwaukee at Cincinnati.

In three starts versus the Orioles in 2017, Estrada has allowed three runs over 20 2/3 innings with 24 strikeouts. That works to an ERA of 1.31.

Chris Davis struck out three times today during an 0-for-4 afternoon. He was called out looking against reliever Joe Smith with two on and two outs in the eighth. The O's had few scoring chances and went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position, leaving seven on base.

The Orioles made three errors today, and the costliest came in the top of the first. Lefty Wade Miley got two quick outs and the Orioles were shifting against Kendrys Morales. He hit a grounder to the third base side of second and second baseman Jonathan Schoop could not come up with it and was charged with an error.

That would soon hurt when Justin Smoak singled and Devon Travis followed that with a three-run homer to left. Travis hit No. 2 on a first-pitch curveball. Toronto took a 3-0 lead, and all three runs were unearned.

Estrada had silenced the O's bats on one hit through three innings, but then Adam Jones led off the fourth with a solo homer to left. It made it 3-1 and was No. 7 for Jones on a 3-2 fastball.

That was a milestone home run. It was the 124th in this ballpark for Jones. That ties him with Rafael Palmeiro for most all-time at Oriole Park. Chris Davis is third on the list with 114. Jones began today 3-for-21 with no homers or RBIs against Estrada, but went 3-for-4, producing three of the club's seven hits.

Meanwhile, Miley allowed no more runs after the first but took the loss and is 1-2 with an ERA of 2.59. Over seven innings, he gave up six hits and three unearned runs with one walk and three strikeouts. This was his longest outing since he went seven on April 25.

Orioles staring pitchers worked to an ERA of 2.37 in this series, allowing eight runs (five earned) over 19 innings.

The Orioles had an eight-game home win streak snapped and they are now 25-17 on the year and 15-4 at home. They begin a series with Minnesota on Monday night.