Mountcastle hits 2 HRs as Orioles rout Blue Jays
TORONTO (AP) — Ryan Mountcastle homered twice and drove in five runs, Corbin Burnes allowed one run in seven innings for his third straight win and the Baltimore Orioles routed the Toronto Blue Jays 10-1 on Tuesday night.
Orioles rookie infielder Connor Norby homered for his first major league hit, a two-run blast off Nate Pearson in the eighth inning.
“That was the coolest thing I’ve done playing baseball, for sure,” Norby said. “I got a lot of sleep last night. I don’t know how much sleep I’ll get tonight now after that one.”
Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman reached base three times each and Rutschman drove in a pair for the Orioles, who won for the 10th time in 12 games.
“Total, complete game from us,” manager Brandon Hyde said.
By guaranteeing a split of this four-game set, Baltimore extended its team-record unbeaten streak in series against AL East opponents to 20. That’s the longest such streak since divisional play began in 1969.
Toronto has lost two straight and three of four, and sits at the bottom of the AL East, 14 games out of first place.
“The beauty of baseball is tomorrow,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “I feel like I’ve said that a lot this year.”
Burnes (6-2) gave up four hits and matched his longest outing of the season. He hasn’t allowed more than three earned runs in 15 straight starts.
“Just a fantastic performance,” Hyde said.
The right-hander, who walked one and struck out five, said he appreciated the big cushion his offense provided.
“It just allows you to get to strike two that much quicker when you get that kind of lead,” Burnes said.
Mountcastle hit a three-run homer in the third, then blasted a 443-foot, two-run shot into the center field party deck in the fifth.
“He’s a dangerous, dangerous hitter,” Hyde said. “He’s got a great feel for where the barrel is and he’s got unbelievable power. He showed that tonight.”
It was Mountcastle’s second multi-homer game of the season and the 10th of his career. Four have come against the Blue Jays.
Mountcastle has 68 hits, including 17 of his 88 career home runs, and 50 RBIs against Toronto, more than against any other opponent. His 12 doubles and 37 runs scored against the Blue Jays are also his most against any team.
Eight of Mountcastle’s home runs against the Blue Jays have come in Toronto.
The Orioles are 32-11 when they hit at least one home run.
Right-hander Trevor Richards opened with two perfect innings for the Blue Jays, striking out four. Richards started in place of Alek Manoah, who went on the 15-day IL last week.
Left-hander Génesis Cabrera (2-2) followed but hit Colton Cowser in the back to begin the third. Henderson drew a two-out walk and Rutschman chased Cabrera with an RBI single.
Mountcastle greeted right-hander Bowden Francis with his first home run of the night.
Francis gave up three more runs in the fifth. Rutschman singled home Henderson before Mountcastle hit a 443-foot shot to center.
“Whenever you hit one and you know off the bat it’s gone, it’s always a good feeling,” Mountcastle said. “To put one out there was pretty cool.”
George Springer hit a solo home run in the seventh.
Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr. started at third base for the second time in three days, with Justin Turner at first and Daniel Vogelbach the designated hitter. Guerrero’s start at third base Sunday was his first since the final game of his 2019 rookie season.
ROSTER MOVES
Orioles: Baltimore signed RHP Julio Teheran and assigned him to Triple-A Norfolk.
Blue Jays: Francis was activated off the injured list before the game. He’d been sidelined since April 25 because of a sore forearm. … Toronto optioned RHP Ryan Burr to Triple-A Buffalo.
UP NEXT
RHP José Berríos (5-4, 2.78 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Blue Jays on Wednesday night. RHP Albert Suárez (2-0, 1.57) will start for the Orioles.
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