Kendrys Morales homers in ninth and Toronto wins 2-1

TORONTO - That was one strong Orioles debut by Alec Asher. But at the end of the game, the Orioles had suffered another walk-off loss in Toronto.

Asher, the 25-year-old right-hander the Orioles acquired late in spring training, proved at least for one day to be a strong pickup.

But when Toronto DH Kendrys Morales homered on the first pitch of the last of the ninth off a Tyler Wilson curveball, the Blue Jays had a 2-1 walk-off win to snap a run of six straight losses. The Orioles fall to 7-3 and Toronto is 2-9.

Making his 13th career major league start, Asher held Toronto scoreless on two hits over six outstanding innings. He retired the side in order four times and retired 15 of the last 16 batters he faced heading to the last of the seventh of a scoreless tie.

But Toronto moved ahead 1-0 in the seventh and Asher was on the hook for a loss until the Orioles tied the game in the ninth.

Closer Roberto Osuna was trying for the save, but Orioles catcher Welington Castillo produced an infield hit on a hot smash back to the box and Craig Gentry pinch-ran for him. That proved big as Gentry stole second, advanced to third on a flyout and scored the tying run on Jonathan Schoop's sac fly.

Toronto finally broke that 0-0 deadlock in the seventh. Asher took the mound with his pitch count at 84 and hit José Bautista. After Morales lined to center, a single by Troy Tulowitzki put runners on first and second and Buck Showalter called for lefty Donnie Hart from the bullpen. Toronto called on Darwin Barney to pinch-hit for Chris Coghlan.

The Orioles had used Darren O'Day, Brad Brach and Zach Britton for two straight days each. So Hart got the call. Hart retired Justin Smoak on a flyout to deep center, but couldn't escape the inning scoreless. Barney lined a single to center for a single to give the Blue Jays the game's first run and a 1-0 lead.

The Orioles were held scoreless over the first seven innings by Toronto right-hander Marco Estrada. He allowed just four hits with three walks and eight strikeouts on 109 pitches.

The Orioles struggled to get clutch hits today. They began the day leading the American League with a .357 team average with runners in scoring position. But today they went 0-for-7 and stranded eight runners on base through the eighth. They left five on over the first three innings, stranding two each in the first and third.

In the finale of this four-game series on Sunday afternoon, Dylan Bundy (1-1, 2.70 ERA) faces Toronto left-hander J.A. Happ (0-2, 5.40 ERA).