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Orioles overcome shaky pitching, down Jays

Jul 22, 2008 - 3:39 AM By Sean Burns PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

BALTIMORE (Ticker) -- Adam Jones homered and Melvin Mora hit a two-run single to open up a three-run fifth inning Monday, propelling the Baltimore Orioles to an 8-3 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.

Jones reached base for the 20th consecutive game in the third, giving Baltimore its first lead when he snapped a 1-1 deadlock with a two-run shot - his sixth of the season - off Blue Jays starter Jesse Litsch (8-7).

"I told myself, He can't beat me at 88, 89 (miles per hour)," Jones said. "So I was just sitting back, looking for the slider. The first at-bat, I tried to pull the ball, but that one, I just went with it."

The centerpiece of the five-player package the Orioles received in the Erik Bedard trade during the offseason, Jones singled and scored two innings later as he and Brian Roberts crossed the plate when Mora roped a bases-loaded, two-run single off Litsch into right-center in the bottom of the frame to help the Orioles regain a two-run margin.

Luke Scott completed the three-run inning with a sinking line-drive single to right, plating Aubrey Huff.

In the eighth, Ramon Hernandez added a pair of insurance runs with his 10th homer.

Rookie Radhames Liz (4-2) earned the win despite walking six and throwing more balls (45) than strikes (44). Even with his control issues, the righthander allowed three runs and five hits over 5 2/3 innings, striking out four.

"Liz stayed away from the big inning and he kept the ball in the ballpark," Orioles manager Dave Trembley said. "He made pitches when he had to, especially with guys on base."

"(Pitching coach Rick Kranitz) told me, 'If you give up one run, don't give up two,'" Liz said. "If you give up two, don't give up more. I just tried to not give up anything big. I just tried to make adjustments. I give all the credit to the hitters and the defense behind me."

Litsch was roughed up for six runs and seven hits over 4 2/3 innings in losing for the third time in as many starts.

"(Litsch) made a couple of mistakes tonight and he had to pay for them," Toronto manager Cito Gaston said. "If he gets that last out instead of a two-run home run, we would come back to the dugout even. In the big leagues, you can't make too many mistakes and get away with it."

Toronto, which led,1-0, after a run-scoring single by Scott Rolen in the second, was close to a breaking the game open in the fifth, loading the bases with one out against Liz.

But after Marco Scutaro recorded an RBI double and Rod Barajas knotted the score at 3-3 with a sacrifice fly, Liz struck out Matt Stairs to end the threat, just one of several innings that ended in frustration for the Blue Jays.

Toronto was retired in order in only one of the first six innings, but left nine runners on base over that span, including leaving the bases loaded in the sixth.