a ninth-inning rally against Orioles closer Michael Gonzalez, giving
the Toronto Blue Jays a 7-6 victory Friday in Baltimore's home opener.
Alex Gonzalez homered for the Blue Jays, just 1-8 at Camden Yards last season.
Baltimore took a 6-5 lead in the
eighth when pinch-runner Felix Pie scored on a daring dash from first
base on a two-out single by Cesar Izturis.
But the advantage was quickly
surrendered by Michael Gonzalez, who has two blown saves in three
chances and struggled even when successful.
Gonzalez walked leadoff hitter Edwin
Encarnacion, then threw a wild pitch before yielding an RBI double to
Snider. After a bunt by John McDonald moved Snider to third, Jose
Bautista hit a sacrifice fly.
Michael Gonzalez (0-2) was then removed, and many in the sellout crowd of 48,891 booed his every step to the dugout.
Casey Janssen (2-0) pitched one inning, and Kevin Gregg got three straight outs for his first save.
It was the fourth straight one-run game for the Orioles, who opened the season by losing two of three to Tampa Bay.
Miguel Tejada homered and had four
RBIs for Baltimore, who trailed 3-0 in the first inning and 5-3 in the
fifth before coming back.
Baltimore second baseman Brian
Roberts left after the first inning with an abdominal strain. The
injury appeared to occur as he was sliding into second with a stolen
base.
Orioles starter Brad Bergesen
allowed five runs and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings. It was his first
appearance in a regular-season game since he was struck in the left
shin by a line drive last July 30.
Brandon Morrow got off to a rocky
start in his Toronto debut, giving up three first-inning runs while
fighting his control. He ended up permitting five runs, four hits and
five walks in five innings.
Soon after Orioles greats Brooks
Robinson and Boog Powell simultaneously threw out the ceremonial first
pitch, Toronto drained some of the enthusiasm from the crowd with a
three-run first inning. After Lyle Overbay delivered a sacrifice fly
with the bases loaded, John Buck hit a liner to center that popped out
of the glove of a retreating Adam Jones for a two-run double.
Baltimore tied it in the bottom half
on just one hit — a two-run single by Tejada. Morrow walked four and
hit a batter before inducing Garrett Atkins to hit into an
inning-ending double play with the bases loaded.
Alex Gonzalez homered to lead off the
third, and an RBI single by Adam Lind made it 5-3 in the fifth. In the
bottom half, Nick Markakis doubled and Tejada tied it with his first
homer for the Orioles since Sept. 21, 2007.
Notes
Toronto 2B Aaron Hill missed
a second straight game with a sore right hamstring. … Tejada had only
two games with at least four RBIs last year with Houston.