masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgInterim manager Juan Samuel praised starter Brad Bergesen for battling on a night when the right-hander didn’t have his best stuff.

“He kept the game close,” Samuel said. “We got some opportunities there. Even though his command probably wasn’t where he wanted it to be, he kept the game close for us. So that’s all we wanted.

“I think since he has been back here, he has had a few good outings. His tempo was very, very good. He threw a lot of strikes, his ball was sinking. We didn’t see…Interim manager Juan Samuel praised starter Brad Bergesen for battling on a night when the right-hander didn’t have his best stuff.

“He kept the game close,” Samuel said. “We got some opportunities there. Even though his command probably wasn’t where he wanted it to be, he kept the game close for us. So that’s all we wanted.

“I think since he has been back here, he has had a few good outings. His tempo was very, very good. He threw a lot of strikes, his ball was sinking. We didn’t see that tonight a whole lot. But again, he controlled the damage there. He only gave up four runs. So that was it for me.”

Juan Samuel talks with the media about the O’s 4-2 loss to the Blue Jays

Asked about his confidence level in Bergesen, Samuel replied, “You’ve got to have confidence in your players. We have seen what he is capable of doing, so you have got to continue to throw him out there. And again, these are young guys that are still learning how to pitch, and that’s probably why we see a little inconsistency. I think that comes with being young.”

Down on the farm, Michael Aubrey and Robert Andino have homered for Triple-A Norfolk. Aubrey also doubled, and Andino committed his 19th error.

Michael Gonzalez has entered the game in the seventh.

Update: Rough night for Gonzalez. He’s charged with two runs and three hits, with one walk and two strikeouts, in two-thirds of an inning. Jim Hoey replaced him after he threw 26 pitches, 16 for strikes.