Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista (19) is congratulated by third baseman Josh Donaldson (20) after hitting a home run in the sixth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
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Baltimore Orioles pitcher Wade Miley walks to the dugout after giving up two runs to the Toronto Blue Jays in the fourth inning of a baseball game, Monday, Aug. 29, 2016, in Baltimore.
Baltimore Orioles’ J.J. Hardy connects for a solo home run against the Toronto Blue Jays in the third inning of a baseball game, Monday, Aug. 29, 2016, in Baltimore. He reported to the team Monday before the opening game of an American League East showdown with the Baltimore Orioles. The Orioles managed just four hits – including their only run on J.J. Hardy’s solo homer in the third – against speed-changing artist Marco Estrada.
Otherwise, Miley allowed just five baserunners over seven innings.
Donaldson quickly tied it in the top of the fourth with a one-out homer to center after Miley retired the first 10 Toronto hitters. Orioles 3B Manny Machado, who went 7-for-14 against the Yankees, is batting.388 against the Orioles this year.3. “A good seventh inning to get one more inning out of him”. “We just got to play ball games”. The reigning AL MVP had three homers in a 9-6 win over Minnesota on Sunday.
“We’ve had trouble with him for a while”, Hardy said. His fastball is sneaky. “He can pitch down with it, and his changeup is a really tough pitch”. Justin Smoak did the same in the ninth, and Devon Travis drove in the final run with a groundout later that inning.
Joe Biagini came on to finish the eighth while Joaquin Benoit took care of the ninth.
The Orioles threatened in the fifth, putting runners on first and second with two outs, but Estrada struck out Jonathan Schoop and kept the Jays in the lead.
The Blue Jays acquired Navarro from the Chicago White Sox for left-handed pitching prospect Colton Turner.
Toronto has received better production from Martin as of late after a horrid start from the entrenched top backstop, but Navarro will essentially play the same role he did last season after the Blue Jays acquired Martin.
“I was in shock when it happened and I was happy two minutes later because I was coming to an organization where I feel really comfortable and to a group of guys that I have good relationships with”, said Navarro, who hit.210 with six home runs and 32 RBI in 85 games with Chicago.
The Toronto Blue Jays have designated Josh Thole for assignment to make room for catcher Dioner Navarro.
Of course it’s not a very good sign that the first game of this make-or-break series – they’ll all be make-or-break until the Orioles break – will see the Orioles without Adam Jones atop the lineup.
NOTES: Orioles RHP Chris Tillman threw off flat ground Monday and did well, according to manager Buck Showalter.
Blue Jays: Left-hander J.A. Happ (17-4, 3.19) had his 11-game winning streak snapped in his last start against the Angels.
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Orioles: Ubaldo Jimenez (5-11, 6.62 ERA) is back in the rotation with the injury to Tillman.
