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Trachsel remains perfect against Blue Jays

Aug 18, 2007 - 8:54 PM TORONTO (Ticker) -- Steve Trachsel overcame a rough start and Tike Redman drove in a pair of runs as the Baltimore Orioles defeated the Toronto Blue Jays, 5-3, on Saturday.

Trachsel (6-7) allowed three runs over the first two innings, but settled down to record his first winning decision since June 8 against the Colorado Rockies - a span of nine starts. He pitched 6 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on eight hits, walking one and striking out one.

The veteran righthander continued his mastery of the Blue Jays, improving to 3-0 against them this year and 6-0 over his career.

"It's just kind of one of those statistical anomalies," Trachsel said. "I've had (win streaks) in the past against other teams and then they go away. You just never know what can happen the next time out."

"Our pitching was outstanding," Baltimore manager Dave Trembley said. "Trachsel got better as the game went on. Early in the game, he was pitching behind and you can't do that against anybody."

After the Blue Jays took a 1-0 lead off Trachsel in the first inning on an RBI groundout by Alex Rios, the Orioles struck back with three runs in the top of the second.

With two outs, Redman tripled to deep right field off Toronto rookie Jessie Litsch, scoring Aubrey Huff and Melvin Mora. Brian Roberts followed with a double, scoring Redman to make it 3-1.

"I think it was a changeup. I saw it up and just put a good swing on it," Redman said. "With men on second and third, you've got to take a chance on almost anything close and I was fortunate to hit it in the gap."

Trachsel gave up that lead in the bottom half of the inning.

Matt Stairs led off with his 15th homer of the season, and John MacDonald executed a suicide squeeze bunt to score Lyle Overbay with the tying run.

"The later you square around (to bunt) the more chances the pitcher is going to throw a strike," Mcdonald said. "I just tried to bunt it late and get it down as best as I could."

Redman helped put the Orioles ahead for good in the fourth inning. With J.R. House on third, Redman hit a grounder to first that Overbay misplayed, allowing House to score.

"I was going to throw home because (Redman) didn't break right off the bat," Overbay said. "We were still a ground ball double play from getting out of the inning, so I might as well try in that situation. It just hopped up on me."

House, making his first American League start behind the plate, added his first career home run, a solo shot with two outs in the sixth inning to put Baltimore ahead 5-3.

"It was great. I'm just happy it went out of the ballpark," said House, who had his contract selected from Class AAA Norfolk on Monday. "It was nice to get this one out of the way. Hopefully I can just relax now and make some progress."

Toronto threatened in the seventh when McDonald and Reed Johnson singled, but Jim Hoey got Vernon Wells to ground out to end the threat.

Hoey pitched a scoreless eighth and Danys Baez worked the ninth to earn his second save.

"We didn't play a good game," Toronto manager John Gibbons said. "We made some mistakes out there. It was a game I thought we should've won, could've won but didn't win."

Litsch (4-6) pitched six innings, allowing five runs - two earned - on six hits. The righthander walked one and struck out four.

"You're going to go out there and you're going to have errors," Litsch said. "It's all part of the game and you've just got to battle through it."