O's build early lead and hold off Blue Jays in series finale

If the Toronto Blue Jays were going to help the Orioles get some runs today, the Orioles would be accepting of that. They did and they were.

The Orioles got a gift run in the first, three unearned runs in the second and drew two bases-loaded walks in the fifth today. It helped them build a 6-2 lead and they held off Toronto 6-5 in the series finale at Camden Yards. The clubs split the four games.

The O's went to the seventh leading 6-2, but Toronto got three to pull close. Right-hander Tom Eshelman, who came on to start the second after Jimmy Yacabonis pitched the first, had allowed two runs in innings two through six. But his day ended when the Jays' seventh began with solo homers by Bo Bichette (No. 2) and Cavan Biggio (No. 9).

Dillon Tate came on then, allowed Randal Grichuk's RBI double, but held the 6-5 lead as he pitched out of a second and third, one out situation after the two-base hit.

After Yacabonis survived a bases loaded, no out jam in the first, the O's took a 1-0 lead in the bottom half. The O's drew three walks around a double play and then Toronto fielders let Jace Peterson's bloop to left find grass for a hit and an Orioles' 1-0 lead.

With two on and out in the second, Jonathan Villar's grounder up the middle should have ended the inning. But Bichette booted it and a run scored for a 2-1 O's lead. When Trey Mancini doubled in two more, the O's led 4-1 on three unearned runs. Mancini has six RBIs in two games.

After Toronto pulled within 4-2 in the fifth, the Orioles got more help to extend that to 6-2 in the bottom half. Making his major league debut, right-hander Yennsy Diaz walked four in 2/3 of an inning. The last two walks to Chance Sisco and Chris Davis came with the bases loaded and scored runs five and six.

After Yacabonis went the first inning, Eshelman went five-plus allowing eight hits and four runs. He picked up his first MLB win. Tate went one frame, Branden Kline came in and struck out both batters he faced and Richard Bleier got one hitter to bounce out.

Shawn Armstrong pitched the ninth, recording his fourth save. He fanned three batters around a couple of hits to strand two and wrap up the one-run victory.

So the Orioles win the final two games of this series after losing the first two to get to 38-73. They are 7-5 over the last 12 games, 10-7 the past 17 and 16-15 since June 28. They are 17-38 at home, 18-32 versus the American League East and 7-6 against Toronto.

On Monday night they host the New York Yankees to start a 10-game stretch, where they play the Yankees seven times and the Astros three times.