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Zaun, Jays top Orioles

Sep 19, 2008 - 3:26 AM TORONTO (Ticker) -- Jesse Litsch threw six effective innings and Gregg Zaun hit a pinch two-run double as the Toronto Blue Jays topped the Baltimore Orioles, 3-2, on Thursday.

Jose Bautista homered for Toronto, which has won 10 of its 15 meetings with Baltimore this season. It was the Blue Jays' sixth straight one-run victory over the Orioles.

"Obviously, you would like to win them by a bigger margin," Toronto's Vernon Wells said. "It's two teams that have struggled to swing the bats this week, but it was good to get two wins out of the series."

Litsch (12-8) allowed two runs and four hits, walking four with six strikeouts. The righthander improved to 7-2 at home this season.

"I felt good out there," Litsch said. "Just that one inning when I fell into some trouble, but you got to pitch out of it. That's all part of the game, to overcome that stuff."

Toronto trailed, 2-1, when Adam Lind walked and Lyle Overbay singled off Baltimore starter Garrett Olson (9-8) in the sixth.

Orioles manager Dave Trembley brought in reliever Jim Miller and Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston countered with Zaun, who hit for Curtis Thigpen.

Zaun delivered as he lined a 1-0 offering down the right field line, plating both runners for a 3-2 lead before getting thrown out trying to stretch the hit into a triple.

Brian Wolfe and Jesse Carlson each threw a perfect inning, but the Orioles loaded the bases with one out in the ninth against closer B.J. Ryan.

The lefthander recovered, however, getting pinch hitter Melvin Mora on a foulout to first and Brian Roberts on a weak grounder to shortstop to preserve the win. It was Ryan's 31st save of the season.

"We were getting some good pitching tonight. We had a chance but came up short," Baltimore's Kevin Millar said.

Bouncing back from the shortest outing of his career, Olson was charged with three runs and four hits in 5 2/3 innings. The lefthander gave up six runs while recording just two outs against Minnesota on Saturday.

"I was able to (get ahead of hitters) in the first inning, added a few pitches more than I wanted to, but as the next couple of innings went on, I was getting into my rhythm again," Olson said. "Making my defense play behind me, I felt like we were getting into a groove as a team."

Alex Cintron had a two-run single for the Orioles, who have not won a series since they took two of three at Detroit from August 15-17.