Orioles' scoreless streak ends with Flaherty home run (O's lose 4-3)

The Orioles no longer are stringing together scoreless innings, the streak finally ending tonight at 29, four short of the franchise record.

Ryan Flaherty hit an opposite-field three-run homer off Blue Jays starter Marco Estrada in the bottom of the second inning to give the Orioles a 3-1 lead at Camden Yards. Matt Wieters and Jonathan Schoop singled with one out before Flaherty belted his ninth home run and his third this month.

The Orioles were shut out in all three games against the Red Sox at Fenway Park.

Chris Tillman retired the Blue Jays in order in the top of the first inning, a notable achievement considering his 15.50 ERA in five starts against them before tonight.

Then came the second inning.

Edwin Encarnacion led off with his 36th home run, and the 10th by the Blue Jays off Tillman this season, to give Toronto a 1-0 lead. Encarnacion is 16-for-47 with three home runs lifetime against Tillman.

Tillman needed 12 pitches in the first to dispose of Ben Revere on a fly ball to center field, Josh Donaldson on a grounder to shortstop and Jose Bautista on a slow roller in front of the mound. Donaldson was 7-for-20 with one home run lifetime against Tillman heading into the game.

Chris Davis drew his team-leading 78th walk with two outs in the bottom of the first.

Gerardo Parra led off by flying to left field and was robbed in the second on a sensational diving catch by Kevin Pillar in left-center field. He's 15-for-81 with five doubles and five RBIs this month.

The Orioles have reached agreement with Australian left-hander Alexander Wells pending a physical, which he's taking on Tuesday. Wells will receive a $300,000 bonus.

Wells' twin brother, left-hander Lachlan Wells, went 5-2 with a 2.09 ERA in 10 games (nine starts) with the Gulf Coast Twins.

The Orioles also have signed reliever Mike Zouzalik from the independent St. Paul Saints, according to this release. Zouzalik was named the American Association's Rookie of the Year after going 4-1 with a 2.06 ERA and three saves in 39 appearances. He struck out 49 batters in 48 innings and held opponents to a .140 average.

Update: Tillman has allowed one run and four hits in seven innings, with one walk, three strikeouts and a home run. He's retired 10 of the last 11 batters and his pitch count stands at 96, including 64 strikes.

Update II: Ben Revere singled off Darren O'Day with one out in the eighth to score Ryan Goins, who led off with a single off Tillman and cut the Orioles' lead to 3-2.

Tillman is charged with two runs and five hits in 7 1/3 innings. He came out after throwing 104 pitches. A fantastic outing, especially considering how the Jays dominated him in previous starts.

Update III: Jose Bautista singled into right field to tie the game 3-3. He was tagged out in a rundown.

Bautista is 7-for-18 with four home runs, nine RBIs, four walks and five strikeouts against O'Day. The Jays had three straight hits against him, including Josh Donaldson's bouncer up the middle that brought Bautista to the plate.

Update IV: The Jays took the lead in the ninth against Brad Brach on back-to-back singles, a sacrifice bunt and Justin Smoak's slow roller to Chris Davis, who made a barehanded pick-up and threw the ball over catcher Matt Wieters. It was scored a fielder's choice and RBI, with Pillar out at the plate.

Update V: The Orioles lose to the Jays 4-3 and must win their remaining six games to post a winning record for the fourth consecutive season.

The Orioles fall to 24-26 in one-run games.