Gausman snaps winless skid, Orioles beat Blue Jays 3-1 (Jun 27, 2017)

TORONTO (AP) In his final start before the calendar changes, Kevin Gausman made sure he didn't finish the month of June without a win.

Gausman won for the first time in four starts, Mark Trumbo hit an RBI double and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 on Tuesday night.

The Orioles won their third straight and improved to 8-2 against the Blue Jays this season. Toronto is 12-20 against AL East opponents.

The Blue Jays have lost five of seven.

Gausman (4-7) allowed four hits in 5 1/3 innings, his first scoreless outing of the season, winning for the first time since May 31 against the Yankees. The right-hander came in 0-3 with a 9.20 ERA over his previous three starts.

''He was really working the bottom of the zone,'' Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. ''He pitched a lot with his fastball early and went to some other pitches the second and third time around .''

Gausman said he's made an effort to mix up his arsenal in recent starts.

''Earlier in the season I got way too fastball-happy in some counts,'' he said. ''That's really something I'm trying to do better, mixing up my pitches, moving up and down and in and out, just trying to keep these guys off balance.''

Michael Givens pitched 1 2/3 innings and Darren O'Day worked the eighth. Brad Brach gave up a two-out homer to Troy Tulowitzki in the ninth but held on for his 14th save.

Gausman snapped his winless streak against his favorite opponent: he's 2-0 with a 1.99 ERA in four starts against the Blue Jays.

''He's got a great arm,'' Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. ''He was hitting his spots for the most part, just enough off speed stuff to keep you honest.''

Jose Bautista reached on a bloop single to begin the Toronto first, but the Blue Jays didn't get another hit off Gausman until a one-out single by Kendrys Morales in the fifth.

''I get the best view of everybody who gets on that bump,'' Orioles center fielder Adam Jones said, ''and (Gausman) attacked that zone.''

Gausman left after Bautista singled and Martin walked. Givens began his outing with a wild pitch, advancing the runners, then got Josh Donaldson to line out sharply to third. Justin Smoak walked to load the bases but Givens struck out Morales to end the threat.

The Orioles did all the scoring they would need with a two-out rally against Joe Biagini in the first. Jonathan Schoop singled and Jones walked before Trumbo lined a two-run double to center.

Jones made it 3-0 with an RBI single in the third.

Biagini (2-7) allowed three runs and walked a season-worst four in 5 1/3 innings, losing for the fifth time in six starts.

JEWELRY DELAY

Jones, Blue Jays C Russell Martin and home plate umpire Angel Hernandez all paused to scoop up pieces of jewelry from the dirt around home plate after Jones' necklace broke during his first-inning at-bat. Jones stuffed the necklace in his back pocket before drawing a walk. ''I'm sure for what he paid for it, I'd have stopped and picked it up, too,'' Showalter joked.

GRILLI'S GOODBYE

The Blue Jays designated struggling RHP Jason Grilli for assignment. Grilli was 2-4 with a 6.97 ERA in 26 games. The veteran reliever, a key bullpen arm for Toronto's 2016 ALCS team, left a handwritten note taped above his vacated locker that read ''STAY IN THE FIGHT!!!''

TRAINER'S ROOM

Orioles: LHP Zach Britton (strained forearm) allowed one run and two hits in a one-inning rehab appearance at Double-A Bowie on Monday. Britton is scheduled to make back-to-back appearances this week, Thursday for Bowie and Friday for Class-A Frederick. If all goes well, Britton will take the weekend off before pitching at Triple-A Norfolk on Monday. He's eligible to come off the 60-day DL on July 5.

Blue Jays: RHP Aaron Sanchez (blister) allowed three runs and six hits in 3 2/3 innings in his first rehab start at Class-A Dunedin. He threw 66 pitches, 38 strikes. ... Toronto optioned OF Dwight Smith to Triple-A Buffalo, activated OF Ezequiel Carrera (fractured right foot) off the 10-day DL and recalled RHP Chris Smith from Buffalo.

UP NEXT

Orioles: LHP Wade Miley (3-5, 4.48 ERA) is 1-1 with a 2.08 ERA in two starts against the Blue Jays this season, allowing three earned runs while striking out 11 in 13 innings.

Blue Jays: RHP Marcus Stroman (7-4, 3.69 ERA) allowed season worsts of seven runs and three homers in his previous start at Texas on June 22. He is winless in two starts.

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