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Hill, Marcum lead Blue Jays over Orioles

Apr 16, 2008 - 3:51 AM BALTIMORE (Ticker) -- Aaron Hill blasted a three-run homer in the third inning and Shaun Marcum pitched effectively into the seventh as the Toronto Blue Jays cruised to an 11-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday.

Matt Stairs and Alex Rios each drove in two runs for the Blue Jays, who went 4-1 on their five-game road trip.

Nick Markakis, Adam Jones and Melvin Mora each belted a solo home run for the Orioles, who lost for just the second time in eight games at home this season.

"I was pretty happy with the way I threw tonight," Marcum said. "I missed on my location a few times, but our hitters made it a little easier for me."

Toronto, which already was ahead, 1-0, was able to capitalize on Baltimore starter Steve Trachsel's control problems in the third inning.

Trachsel (1-2) walked Gregg Zaun on four pitches to lead off the frame and then allowed a single by Marco Scutaro. After Zaun was caught stealing, David Eckstein smacked a base hit to right field.

"Pitching sets the tone on both sides, and obviously, Marcum was on top of his game and Trachsel wasn't," Orioles manager Dave Trembley said. "They got a lot of hits from guys at the top of the lineup and they kept producing runs. That's just the way the game goes."

With runners on the corners, Hill blasted Trachsel's 1-0 offering over the left-center field wall to give the Blue Jays a 4-0 edge.

"It can't get any better than that," Hill said. "We did a great job putting it on the barrel (of the bat) tonight. We moved 'em over and moved 'em in."

Trachsel was pulled after issuing two more walks and a single to load the bases with one out. Stairs then delivered a sacrifice fly to score Rios and extend the advantage to 5-0.

The 37-year-old Trachsel lasted just 2 1/3 innings, surrendering five runs, five hits and three walks with one strikeout.

"I had no fastball command," Trachsel said. "I was pitching from behind in the count from the very beginning. It was a bad, bad start."

Marcum (2-0) was much more efficient, allowing two runs and four hits with three walks and four strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings. He continued to struggle with Markakis, who belted his fourth career homer off Marcum in just his 12th at-bat in the third.

"He executed tonight," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "He can pitch."

Jones hit his first blast as an Oriole in the fifth inning to cut the deficit to 6-2, but the Blue Jays rallied for three runs in sixth on consecutive RBI singles by Vernon Wells, Frank Thomas and Stairs.

"If we can figure out a way to keep the consistency going, we will be in good shape," Hill said.