BALTIMORE — Only three major league pitchers have surrendered more home runs this season than Baltimore right-hander Tyler Wells. Fortunately for the Orioles, they were facing one of them Thursday.
After Danny Jansen’s second home run of the afternoon off Wells in the top of the fifth, Adley Rutschman tied the game with a solo home run off Toronto Blue Jays left-hander Yusei Kikuchi to open the frame’s bottom half. Rutschman’s third hit of the game came an inning later, the second of three straight two-out singles off reliever Yimi García that gave Baltimore a one-run lead it held onto over the final three innings.
Austin Hays, who provided the first of those hits, provided insurance with a solo home run in the eighth.
With the rubber-game victory, the Orioles (43-25) improved to 5-1 against the Blue Jays this season and won their fifth straight series against an American League East opponent. It’s the first time Baltimore has achieved that feat in a single season since it last won the division in 2014.
Aside from Jansen’s pair of solo shots, Wells was excellent, with the long ball continuing to be the one wart in his season. Wells’ 6 2/3 innings Thursday left his ERA at 3.20, with 22 of the 29 runs he has allowed this year coming via 16 home runs. No one pitch has plagued Wells when it comes to the home runs, with six off his cutter, five off his changeup, four against his four-seamer and one off his slider; Jansen hit one each of Wells’ two fastball types.
But that pitch mix has been otherwise effective at recording outs. With eight strikeouts Thursday, Wells now has 82 for the season, surpassing the career high of 76 he set last season in 22 fewer innings. He entered the game as the major league leader in walks and hits surrendered per inning, with manager Brandon Hyde saying before the game he’s “on the bandwagon” for Wells to be among those who represent Baltimore in next month’s All-Star Game.
The Orioles’ other leading candidates also stood out. Rutschman, who led all AL catchers in fan votes in MLB’s first update Monday, narrowly cleared Camden Yards’ deep and tall left field wall for his ninth home run, Kikuchi’s league-high 19th allowed. Hays is batting .306 with an .851 OPS after his solo shot in the eighth.
Behind Wells, standout bullpen duo Yennier Cano and Félix Bautista handled the final seven outs. Bautista inherited a pair of runners from Cano in the eighth but retired the final four Blue Jays to earn his 18th save and finalize Baltimore’s sixth victory in seven games.
Around the horn
A day after he was placed on the 15-day injured list, reliever Austin Voth said this is the third time this season he’s been on anti-inflammatory medication to manage his right elbow discomfort, which he’s dealt with since spring training. He said he experienced “dull pain” and “wasn’t able to get my arm into certain positions,” but hopes a full week off from throwing will allow the injury to heal.
Right-hander Mychal Givens (right shoulder inflammation) gave up a run in 1 1/3 innings Wednesday for Double-A Bowie to start his latest rehabilitation assignment and remains scheduled to pitch Friday for Triple-A Norfolk. Right-hander Dillon Tate (right elbow flexor strain) opened his second rehab assignment with 1 1/3 scoreless innings for the Tides, striking out two and walking two.
In front of Tate, top Orioles pitching prospect Grayson Rodriguez didn’t allow a hit until the sixth inning, during which he surrendered two, including a home run. He ended his afternoon with two runs allowed and 11 strikeouts in six innings. No. 8 prospect Heston Kjerstad offered support with his second Triple-A home run — the first to clear a fence after his first was an inside-the-parker.
