Happ gets 100th career win, Blue Jays top Orioles 5-1
TORONTO -- J.A. Happ hit the century mark in career victories and gave the Toronto Blue Jays their first winning streak in more than a month.
Happ allowed two hits in seven innings to earn his 100th win, Russell Martin homered and drove in two runs and the Blue Jays beat the Baltimore Orioles 5-1 on Friday night.
"It's a cool number. It's a nice number that I'm proud of," Happ said. "I'm going to enjoy it tonight and try to get 101 the next time."
Randal Grichuk and Kevin Pillar also homered as the Blue Jays recorded their first back-to-back victories since April 30 and May 1 at Minnesota.
Toronto went 33 games without consecutive wins, the third-longest streak in franchise history. The Blue Jays went 49 games between back-to-back wins in 1979, their third season.
"You've got to start somewhere," Happ said. "Now we've got two. See if we can get a streak going."
The Orioles lost for the ninth time in 11 games and dropped to 9-25 on the road and 19-43 overall, both worst in the majors.
Craig Gentry got both of Baltimore's hits off Happ (8-3). The left-hander won his fourth straight decision.
"He's very deceptive and he can really command the ball to both sides of the plate," Gentry said. "He's really good."
Martin praised Happ for being "fearless" on the mound.
"He just believes that he can get anybody out and just attacks the zone," Martin said.
The only run Happ surrendered was unearned, with Danny Valencia scoring on second baseman Devon Travis' throwing error in the second inning.
Two relievers completed the five-hitter. Seunghwan Oh got two outs in the eighth and Ryan Tepera recorded the final four outs for his third save in six opportunities.
Baltimore has been held to one or zero runs a major league-worst 18 times this season, one more than Miami. The Orioles have scored eight runs in their past four games.
"We just haven't done much offensively," manager Buck Showalter said. "It's people that have done it in the past. We're just not doing it now."
Right-hander Andrew Cashner (2-8) lost his third straight start. Cashner allowed three runs and nine hits in six innings.
Cashner has received three runs or fewer in support in 12 of his 13 starts.
CATCH OF THE DAY
Grichuk had the defensive highlight of the game, a diving catch in foul territory to retire Manny Machado in the sixth.
DAY OFF FOR DAVIS
Slumping Orioles 1B Chris Davis got the day off. Davis is batting .152 and has not homered since May 9 against Kansas City, a span of 80 at-bats. Davis is in the third season of a seven-year, $161 million contract.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GIBBY
Blue Jays manager John Gibbons celebrated his 56th birthday. During batting practice, a group of fans standing on the field behind home plate gave Gibbons a cake and sang "Happy Birthday" to him.
TRIPLE THREAT
Toronto's Teoscar Hernandez hit his fifth triple of the season. As a team, the Blue Jays hit five triples in all of 2017.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Orioles: LHP Zach Britton completed his back-to-back appearances for Triple-A Norfolk by giving up two hits and one run in one inning. It was the first run Britton has allowed in five rehab games. Britton had been scheduled to go back-to-back Sunday and Monday but is now expected to rejoin the Orioles Monday. ... RHP prospect Hunter Harvey was scratched from his scheduled start at Double-A Bowie because of a sore shoulder. Showalter said Harvey's injury was pitching-related.
Blue Jays: RHP Marcus Stroman (shoulder) felt good following a three-inning simulated game at Toronto's spring training facility in Florida on Friday. ... 3B Josh Donaldson (left calf) needs to run the bases at full speed before he will be activated off the disabled list. Donaldson was eligible to come off the DL Friday but remains day-to-day. ... 3B prospect Vladimir Guerrero Jr. went to Florida to have his sore left knee examined. Guerrero went on the seven-day minor league DL on Thursday. ... LHP Jaime Garcia had treatment on a blister on his index finger Friday and remains on track to make his next start, Gibbons said.
UP NEXT
Orioles RHP Kevin Gausman (3-5, 4.63) faces Blue Jays RHP Aaron Sanchez (3-5, 4.48) on Saturday. Gausman in winless in four starts, while Sanchez beat Detroit to pick up his first win since April in his previous outing.
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TOR wins 4-0
Game Information
- Umpires:
- Home Plate Umpire - Tom Woodring
- First Base Umpire - Will Little
- Second Base Umpire - Ted Barrett
- Third Base Umpire - Lance Barksdale