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Guthrie, Orioles blank Blue Jays

Sep 10, 2011 - 5:56 AM Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - Jeremy Guthrie tossed seven scoreless innings to lead the Orioles to a 2-0 win over the Blue Jays in the opener of a three- game series.

Guthrie (7-17) scattered three hits and three walks while fanning five to earn the win.

"I moved my pitches around and mixed 'em up," Guthrie said.

Jim Johnson worked around a leadoff walk in the ninth to record his fourth save of the season.

Vladimir Guerrero and Nick Markakis both had an RBI for the Orioles, who have won three straight.

Brett Cecil (4-9) allowed two runs -- one earned -- over 7 2/3 innings. He recorded a season-high nine strikeouts, but could not avoid dropping his fifth straight decision.

Adam Lind doubled to begin the home second and moved to third on Brett Lawrie's sac bunt. He would get no further, however, as Guthrie struck out Kelly Johnson and grounded out J.P. Arencibia to end the inning. He faced the minimum in each of the next four frames.

The Orioles took advantage of Johnson's error in the sixth to get on the board. Robert Andino began the frame with a single and J.J. Hardy followed with a grounder to second. Yunel Escobar flipped to Kelly Johnson for the force, but the second baseman's throw sailed past first, allowing Hardy to reach second. Guerrero followed two batters later with a single through the left side to score Hardy.

In the Jays' seventh, Guthrie struck out Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion before allowing runners to reach first and second, then put down Kelly Johnson on a 3-2 fastball to escape.

Nick Markakis plated Ryan Adams with a fielder's choice groundout in the eighth, making it a 2-0 game and marking the end of Cecil's night.

The Jays again placed runners on first and second in the bottom of the eighth, but Pedro Strop induced Eric Thames into an inning-ending, 4-6-3 double play.

Bautista walked to begin the bottom of the ninth, but three consecutive groundouts ended the game.

"We just got out-pitched by the other pitcher tonight," Arencibia said.

Game Notes

Guthrie eclipsed the 1,000 inning mark in the sixth. He is the 1,150th pitcher in major league history to reach 1,000 innings pitched...Cecil has not won since July 29...Prior to the game, major league baseball suspended Toronto Blue Jays Minor League outfielder Melvin Garcia 50 games for testing positive for an amphetamine, a performance-enhancing substance. The suspension of Garcia, who is currently on the roster of the club's Gulf Coast League affiliate, will be effective at the start of next season.