Mountcastle hits 3-run HR, Orioles go deep 3 times to beat Blue Jays 6-2

TORONTO -- — Ryan Mountcastle hit a three-run homer, Anthony Santander and Adam Frazier also went deep and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Toronto Blue Jays 6-2 on Friday night.

Kyle Gibson (5-3) allowed one run in seven innings to snap a three-start losing streak as the Orioles won for the third time in four games. Gibson gave up five hits, walked two and struck out five.

“Gibson definitely pitched like an ace tonight, there’s no doubt,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said.

Toronto has lost four of five since sweeping a three-game series against Atlanta last weekend.

“Against a dude like Gibson, you’ve got to get him in the middle of the plate,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “He was living on the edges. We’ve got to do a better job of swinging at pitches we want to swing at.”

Mountcastle connected in the third inning off Blue Jays starter Yusei Kikuchi (5-1), his 11th of the season.

It was Mountcastle’s 15th career home run against Toronto, his most against any opponent. He has homered six times at Rogers Centre, more than any other road stadium.

“It’s just a good place to hit,” Mountcastle said. “I like hitting here. I don’t know what it is.”

The slugging first baseman has five hits, including four homers, and eight RBI in 10 career at-bats against Kikuchi.

Santander extended Baltimore’s advantage with a leadoff drive against Trevor Richards in the sixth, his eighth.

Frazier made it 6-2 with a two–run homer off Erik Swanson in the ninth.

Danny Jansen’s two-out RBI single in the second brought home Toronto’s only run against Gibson. The right-hander is 6-2 in 12 career starts against the Blue Jays.

“We were good in all facets of the game tonight,” Gibson said.

Bo Bichette cut it to 4-2 with an RBI groundout for Toronto off Yennier Cano in the eighth. It was the first run allowed by the Baltimore right-hander this season after 21 2/3 scoreless innings to begin the year.

Cano struck out Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and retired Daulton Varsho to strand a runner at third.

“They had a good approach off (Cano), but huge punchout on Guerrero,” Hyde said. “He wasn’t going to pitch a scoreless season, but the way he grinded through that inning was outstanding.”

Félix Bautista wrapped it up in the ninth, striking out Kevin Kiermaier to strand runners at the corners.

Kikuchi lost for the first time in nine starts this season. He allowed three runs and three hits in 4 2/3 innings.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Blue Jays: Guerrero returned to the starting lineup as the DH. He left Tuesday’s game after eight innings and sat Wednesday because of a sore right knee, but came on as a pinch hitter in Thursday’s loss to the Yankees.

OPENING STRONG

Baltimore is 13-2 in series openers, including 8-0 on the road.

WALK THIS WAY

Orioles C Adley Rutschman walked twice against Kikuchi. His first walk, in the third, was the 100th of his career. It came in his 158th game, meaning he reached the century mark in fewer games than any other player in team history.

LONG DIVISION

Toronto is 5-10 against AL East opponents.

UP NEXT

RHP Alek Manoah (1-4, 5.40) starts for the Blue Jays on Saturday. Manoah has lost four straight decisions and walked a career-worst seven in Monday’s loss to the Yankees. RHP Grayson Rodriguez (2-1, 6.57) starts for Baltimore.

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