Akin wins consecutive starts, leads Orioles past Jays 4-2
Aug 31, 2021, 7:16 AM | Updated: 9:33 pm
TORONTO (AP) — Keegan Akin allowed one run through five innings and won consecutive starts for the first time, Ramón Urías hit a go-ahead double in the sixth inning, and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Toronto Blue Jays 4-2 Tuesday night.
Akin (2-8) allowed two hits, walked three, and struck out five. The second-year left-hander allowed one run over seven innings in a win over the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday for his first victory of the season.
“He’s had two good starts in a row and I’m happy with the progress he’s making,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said.
Baltimore has won three of seven since snapping a 19-game losing streak.
“Any win at this point feels good with what we went through with that losing streak,” Akin said. “It’s good to see some young guys contribute and step up.”
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Danny Jansen hit solo home runs for the Blue Jays, who had their three-game win streak snapped.
Toronto put runners at first and second with two outs in the seventh, but Tyler Wells came on to replace Jorge López and got Guerrero to line out on the first pitch.
“For me, Tyler won us the game there,” Hyde said. “He just did a great job.”
Wells worked 1 1/3 innings and Cole Sulser finished in the ninth for his sixth save in eight chances.
Blue Jays outfielder George Springer, who returned to the lineup Monday after missing 13 games because of a sprained left knee, was replaced by pinch runner Jarrod Dyson in the seventh after reaching on a fielder’s choice and advancing to second on Marcus Semien’s single. Springer made a wide turn around second, backpedalling to the base.
“We took him out just to be careful,” Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said. “I know how much he wants to play. He’s going to be day to day. We’ll see how he feels tomorrow.”
Baltimore didn’t get a hit through five innings against Hyun Jin Ryu, but chased him in the sixth. The left-hander lost for the first time in seven career games against the Orioles.
Ryu (12-8) came in 4-0 with a 2.95 ERA against Baltimore, including 3-0 in three starts this season. He allowed three runs and three hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Ryu walked two of the first four batters he faced, but struck out Urías to end the first unscathed.
That was the first in a streak of 15 consecutive outs for Ryu, who didn’t allow a hit until Ryan Mountcastle doubled just inside the foul line in right field with two out in the sixth.
Hays followed with an RBI single up the middle that skipped past second baseman Semien. Anthony Santander walked and Urías ended Ryu’s outing with a two-run double.
“We got some big hits today,” Hyde said. “Ryu was dominating us there for the first half of the game.”
Toronto has scored three runs or fewer in 10 of its past 12 games, going 6-6 in that span. With the bats struggling, Montoyo said Ryu had “no room for error.”
Guerrero cut it to 3-2 with a leadoff homer against López in the sixth, his 39th of the season and third in two games. Baltimore restored the two-run lead in the seventh when Jahmai Jones hit an RBI single off Adam Cimber.
Activated off the injured list before the game after missing more than a month because of a strained right hamstring, Jansen connected on the second pitch he saw from Akin in the third. The homer was Jansen’s sixth.
JAYS CUT HAND
Before the game, struggling LHP Brad Hand was reinstated from the bereavement list and designated for assignment. Hand went 0-2 with a 7.27 ERA in 11 games with Toronto after being acquired from Washington on July 29 in exchange for rookie catcher Riley Adams.
JAYS SIGN TWO
Toronto signed RHP Elvis Luciano and OF Gregory Polanco to minor league contracts. The Blue Jays released Luciano last week. Pittsburgh released Polanco last Saturday.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Blue Jays: To make room for Jansen, Toronto optioned RHP Trent Thornton to Triple-A Buffalo.
UP NEXT
Blue Jays LHP Steven Matz (10-7, 3.81) faces Orioles RHP Matt Harvey (6-14, 6.18) in Wednesday’s series finale. Matz went 2-1 with a 1.30 ERA in five August outings. Harvey has lost four straight starts.
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