Orioles 1 - 4 Blue Jays
Final
  for this game

Romero fans 12, Blue Jays hit 3HRs to top Orioles

Jun 16, 2011 - 7:17 AM

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Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - Ricky Romero hurled eight-plus strong innings and was backed by three home runs to lead Toronto over Baltimore, 4-1, and help the Blue Jays take the first two of a three-game series.

Romero (6-6) allowed one run on three hits and four walks while tying his career high with 12 strikeouts.

Yunel Escobar, Juan Rivera and Adam Lind each went deep as the Jays won for the second consecutive time after dropping four in a row.

Jake Arrieta (8-4) allowed three runs on nine hits and two walks in 6 2/3 innings for the Orioles, losers of four straight.

"I attacked hitters for the most part really well. A consequence of that was a few base hits," Arrieta said.

Baltimore only had runners reach scoring position twice in the game. Once was in the fourth when J.J. Hardy led off the inning with a double. But after Nick Markakis walked, Adam Jones struck out and Vladimir Guerrero grounded into a double play to end the inning.

The other time came in the ninth. Romero started the inning seeking his second career shutout, but after walking Markakis and Jones to start the inning, he was pulled off the mound in favor of Frank Francisco.

Francisco induced a Guerrero pop out before Matt Wieters pulled a single into right field to score Markakis. Derrek Lee followed by grounding into a 5-4-3 double play to end the game and give Francisco his sixth save of the year.

Escobar led off the bottom of the first with a home run to give the Jays an early one-run lead and Rivera added a solo shot in the sixth inning to make it a 2-0 game.

Arrieta walked Jose Bautista with two outs in the seventh and was replaced by Clay Rapada.

But Rapada served a two-run homer to Lind on a 1-2 count that gave Toronto a four-run advantage.

"I just really wanted to make contact," Lind said. "I put a good swing on it."

Game Notes

Baltimore placed pitcher Alfredo Simon on the 15-day disabled list and recalled pitcher Jason Berken from Triple-A Norfolk on Wednesday...Hardy extended his hit streak to eight games...Bautista has now reached base safely in 57 of his 60 games this year...Toronto has now won 16 straight home games against Baltimore.






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