VandenHurk loses lead again, more on winning streak

The Orioles did some two-out damage in the top of the first inning, stringing together three straight singles by Nick Markakis, Vladimir Guerrero and Chris Davis to take a 1-0 lead. It didn't last long. Jose Bautista hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the first to give Toronto a 2-1 lead. Rick VandenHurk got ahead of Bautista 1-2 but couldn't put him away. And the former Oriole put the ball in the second deck for his 41st homer. He's also got 96 RBIs. VandenHurk is getting ahead of hitters. That's good. But he has to finish them off. The Orioles sure have a different look with Matt Angle and Kyle Hudson in the lineup. Hudson just reached on a bunt single leading off the top of the second, and took second base on a throwing error. Pedro Florimon laid down a sacrifice bunt in his first major league at-bat, and first base coach Wayne Kirby and manager Buck Showalter are arguing that the rookie shortstop was safe. Replays support that argument. I'd save the ball anyway. Instant update: More two out damage from the Orioles. Matt Angle singled with two outs to tie the game, 2-2. Update II: Brett Lawrie homered on the first pitch thrown by VandenHurk in the bottom of the second. Toronto 3, Orioles 2. Lawrie has nine homers this season. It only seems like they've all come against the Orioles. VandenHurk gave up 23 homers at Triple-A Norfolk. He's already allowed two today in two innings. Meanwhile, according to STATS Research, the last team to win three straight games in three different cities was the 2003 Yankees. They beat the Mets in Flushing on June 28 in the second game of a home-and-home doubleheader, beat the Mets in the Bronx on June 29 and defeated the Orioles on June 30 in Baltimore. Yes, that counts. The Orioles did it in 1966, beginning with a win over the Yankees on April 24 in New York. They beat the Angels at home on April 26, and didn't play again until defeating the Tigers on April 29 in Detroit.