Walk-off loss: O's blow lead in the ninth, lose in 10th (with quotes)

TORONTO - The Orioles tonight turned a feel-good win into a walk-off loss. They blew a three-run lead in the last of the ninth and took a walk-off loss in the last of the 10th, losing 5-4 at Toronto to start a four-game series.

Against Miguel Castro, Teoscar Hernández led off the 10th with a double to left-center and Justin Smoak was intentionally walked. Castro then fanned two straight batters, but could not get the third out. Shortstop Aledmys Díaz lined a single to left and the Blue Jays had the 5-4 walk-off win.

The loss drops the Orioles to 19-42 and their chance for their first three-game road win streak was denied. They are 9-24 on the road. Toronto had lost seven of eight games coming into this one and was 1-10 in its last 11 at home before the comeback win.

The Orioles' chance for a real feel-good win led by rookies David Hess and Austin Wynns went up in smoke when Toronto scored three in the ninth to tie this game at 4-4.

Working for the third night in a row, right-hander Brad Brach blew a save chance for the first time since opening day. He allowed a walk and double with one out to put runners on second and third. Randal Grichuk's two-run double to right made it a 4-3 O's lead. Brach walked Devon Travis and Kevin Pillar then singled to center to tie it up. Castro came on and got a double play to hold the tie, but the lead was gone.

With the score tied 1-1 in the seventh, Wynns hit a high fly down the left field line. The ball kept carrying and went out. Wynns, in his second major league game, hit his first big league home run. And it was huge to break the 1-1 tie. He hit a 1-1 changeup from Tyler Clippard.

An inning later, the Orioles got back-to-back homers off John Axford to get some breathing room. With one out, Danny Valencia blasted a ball 424 feet to center and produced a 3-1 lead with his sixth home run. Mark Trumbo followed and nailed a high fastball that went 394 feet to left for two straight homers and No. 3 for Trumbo.

It looked like it might end in a 4-1 win, but then Toronto got to Brach in the ninth to force extra innings.

Much earlier, Hess had it going again on the mound. He stranded a leadoff double in the third and stranded two runners in the fourth. He recorded his fourth quality start in five major league games, and allowed one run or less for the third consecutive start.

Over six innings and one batter, Hess allowed five hits and one run with two walks and four strikeouts on 99 pitches. He threw 54 fastballs that averaged 92.4 mph and 26 sliders. He lowered his ERA to 3.07.

Hess, who threw first pitch strikes to 19 of 23 batters, has an ERA of 0.96 over his past three starts. He's allowed just two runs over 18 2/3 innings

The Orioles and Blue Jays ended the first inning in a 1-1 tie. Trey Mancini doubled to start the night off left-hander Jaime García, advanced to third on a grounder and scored on Manny Machado's sac fly. That was his 50th RBI to provide the Orioles an early 1-0 lead.

Curtis Granderson led off the home first with a home run to right off Hess to tie it up. Granderson battled deep into the count and hit the homer on the ninth pitch of the at-bat on a 3-2 count. It was his fifth of the year, his 26th in his career versus the Orioles and his 46th career leadoff home run.

The Orioles' Chris Davis had another tough night. He went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. He fanned to strand two runners to end the fourth and struck out with the bases loaded to end the sixth.

Over his last 17 games, Davis is 6-for-59 with 29 strikeouts. His average is down to .152.

In the second game of this series Friday night, Andrew Cashner (2-7, 5.02 ERA) pitches against J.A. Happ (7-3, 4.08 ERA).

Postgame quotes:

Manager Buck Showalter on both Brach and Castro warming before the ninth: "Yeah, if we had scored one more run, Miguel would have (come in) in a non-save. But Brad's been throwing real well. Tonight wasn't one of those nights."

Showalter on Brach pitching three nights in a row: "We've done it a lot in the past. He's had short outings and he had six days off before the first outing of these three. So did Richard (Bleier), because we had all the rainouts and stuff. They were well-rested.

"Brad got the first out, looked like it was set up pretty good, but that's why you play the game. You don't play it with what should be. Disappointing, but some good things happened. David Hess was really good and Austin, you have to take something out of that night for him. I know it was a big moment for him. We scored four, we needed five."

Hess on working with Wynns, who caught him often on the farm: "He's been with me for the past few years. I've gotten to kind of see him grow and he's been able to see me grow. Together, it's been a lot of fun. We've definitely grown to learn each other well and it translates out there, being on the same page. It's the same game, just a bigger stage. He did a really great job of not letting the game get too big on him and staying true to what he does."

Wynns on his first major league homer: "It was a great feeling. We had a few home runs today, but it just sucks with the loss. Hess did a great job of pitching. We did a great job until the end, just fell a bit short.

Wynns wasn't sure that ball would get out and also on an eventful first two games: "No. I just ran. I hit it and I ran. I just put my head down and ran. And then, they told me it was out and I was like, cool. It was really cool. Yes, yes it has (been eventful), but I would be happier if we win more, so let's try to get on the winning side."

Brach on the ninth: "I just didn't execute. Yeah, I mean, balls over the heart of the plate and they put good swings on it. Got me in trouble there when Díaz jumped on that one fastball and it was second and third there. I had Grichuk right where I wanted him and I didn't execute a pitch. They put some good swings on it and just bad execution tonight."

Brach on whether his performance was a byproduct of pitching for three straight days?: "No, actually I felt really good tonight. Just couldn't locate the fastball and threw a couple that cut to (Luke) Maile and then I couldn't keep it on the plate. When I tried to throw it over the plate, it just kind of stayed straight and true. Just need to execute down and away and I wasn't able to do that tonight."