Major League Baseball

Blue Jays 9, Orioles 5

Published Mar. 27, 2011 11:12 p.m. ET

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Ricky Romero, Toronto's opening-day pitcher, ended his spring the same way he started it, getting knocked around, giving up runs and getting frustrated.

On Sunday, Baltimore tagged him for eight hits and five runs in 5 1-3 innings before the Blue Jays rallied to beat the split-squad Orioles 9-5. Toronto's Rajai Davis went 5 for 5 with two doubles and a triple and scored three times.

''I've said many times I hate giving up runs, especially when (I'm) going good and feeling good. I'm just glad (spring training) is over and we can move on to the season,'' said Romero, who allowed 17 runs and 24 hits over 19 1-3 innings in five starts.

''I've done everything I had to do to get my body ready and my confidence is good. I know what I can do when the lights turn on,'' he said. ''I'm ready for Friday. I can't be happier than it's going to be here pretty soon.''

The Blue Jays open at home against Minnesota.

Jeremy Guthrie, Baltimore's opening-game starter, fared no better against the Blue Jays, allowing four runs and 12 of the Blue Jays' 20 hits in five innings. But while he faced Toronto's likely opening-game lineup, Romero pitched to a batting order devoid of projected starters.

''I would have liked to have been able to get more quality pitches, would have loved to have gotten more outs and been a little more efficient in the strike zone, but overall it feels all right,'' Guthrie said.

Yunel Escobar hit a two-run homer for the Blue Jays in the third and a two-run double in the seventh, and had five RBIs.

Davis had a big game. too.

''When (Davis) came out of the game,'' Blue Jays manager John Farrell said, ''we thought if we could find a bottle big enough we'd put him in it and send him up to Toronto now.''

Nick Green's two-run homer in a four-run sixth gave Baltimore a 5-4 lead and chased Romero.

''Other than the home run,'' Romero said, ''I made some good pitches. They just found the holes. One pitch, I left the changeup up and he hit it out.''

Romero struck out six without a walk.

''Actually,'' Farrell said, ''I thought today was the best consistency of quality strikes all spring. Human nature will have it that the last pitch he threw is the one that makes the loudest memory in his mind.''

''But I think what he needs to keep in mind is that in the first five innings, that was the best assortment and execution of pitches all spring,'' he said. ''No alarms from this end.''

NOTES: The Blue Jays added OF Corey Patterson to their 40-man roster. Sent to the minors were OF Eric Thames, 1B David Cooper and Ps Winston Abreu, Chad Cordero, Sean Henn, Mike Hinckley, Will Ledezma and Rommie Lewis. ... Plate umpire Vic Carapazza experienced back spasms, so three umpires worked the game. ... Kyle Drabek, in his first start since being picked for Toronto's starting rotation, will face John Lackey and visiting Boston on Monday.

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