masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgTORONTO – For the 2018 Orioles, many of their losses have included moments where they contributed mightily to the defeat and it happened again today at Rogers Centre.
Toronto scored three runs in the last of the fourth and beat the Orioles 4-1 this afternoon in front of 35,912 to take the first two games of this series. The Orioles (28-71) are 1-8 against Toronto for the season and 0-6 at Rogers Centre.
After the Orioles took a 1-0 lead in the first on Adam Jones’ single, the Blue Jays moved…

TORONTO – For the 2018 Orioles, many of their losses have included moments where they contributed mightily to the defeat and it happened again today at Rogers Centre.

Toronto scored three runs in the last of the fourth and beat the Orioles 4-1 this afternoon in front of 35,912 to take the first two games of this series. The Orioles (28-71) are 1-8 against Toronto for the season and 0-6 at Rogers Centre.

After the Orioles took a 1-0 lead in the first on Adam Jones’ single, the Blue Jays moved ahead for good in the fourth versus right-hander Alex Cobb. It started with a walk to Justin Smoak when Cobb got ahead 0-2 in the count. Then Yangervis Solarte hit a grounder back to Cobb who threw to second to get a force. But a replay review showed that shortstop Tim Beckham’s foot came off the bag too soon and on a FC-E6, Toronto had two on and none out. That fueled a three-run frame.

Randall Grichuk doubled in one for the 1-1 tie. With the bases loaded, Aledmys Díaz bounced into a 5-4-3 double play and the go-ahead run scored. When the next batter, Luke Maile grounded a single into center, the lead grew to 3-1. One bad inning, fueled by an 0-2 walk and error cost the Orioles big time today.

In the fifth Teoscar Hernández doubled with one out, moved up a flyball and scored when Cobb was charged with a balk. It was a 4-1 game.

Cobb-Delivers-Orange-Sidebar.jpgCobb needed just 42 pitches to get the first nine outs. But his final line read five innings, four hits, four runs (one earned), three walks and four strikeouts. He threw 88 pitches and falls to 2-13 with an ERA of 6.17. Cobb began the day leading the American League in losses. The Orioles fall to 3-15 in his 18 starts. Cobb is 0-9 in nine day game starts.

Meanwhile the O’s rotation has just one quality start the last 13 games with an ERA of 6.71.

In what could have been his last game with the Orioles, closer Zach Britton threw a scoreless last of the eighth. It was his eighth consecutive scoreless appearance.

The O’s offense had another slow day although it did start well against Marcus Stroman. Beckham flared a single into center and went to third on Jonathan Schoop’s liner to left. But Schoop was thrown out trying for a double. Jones then poked a single into right for his 37th RBI and a 1-0 lead.

Stroman went seven innings allowing just the one run on five hits with seven strikeouts. He improved to 3-7 with an ERA of 5.42 in a 107-pitch outing.

The Orioles have been swept 10 times this year in a series of three or more games. They have to win here Sunday at 1:07 p.m. to avoid adding to that total.