Major League Baseball

Stroman struggles again, Blue Jays lose 6-5 to Orioles

Published Jun. 10, 2016 12:52 a.m. ET

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TORONTO (AP) Marcus Stroman is searching for a way to snap out of the toughest stretch of his career.

Chris Davis homered and hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the ninth inning, Pedro Alvarez also connected and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Toronto Blue Jays 6-5 on Thursday night for their fifth straight win.

Stroman pitched 5 1-3 innings, failing to finish the sixth for the fourth time in five starts. He allowed four runs and eight hits.

''I was struggling to get on top of the ball a little bit,'' Stroman said. ''Extremely frustrated not to be able to go out there and do my job.''

Stroman has surrendered three home runs in his past three outings after giving up four homers in his first 10 starts of 2016. He's allowed eight hits or more in six of his past seven starts.

''It's not where I want to be and it's not where I will be going forward,'' Stroman vowed.

Manager John Gibbons is confident his young ace will bounce back.

''He'll be fine,'' Gibbons said. ''He's just going through a tough stretch. He's a tough kid, he'll survive that.''

Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista reached base four times but was replaced by pinch-runner Ezequiel Carrera after a two-out walk in the sixth. Bautista is day to day with a sore right thigh.

''He got sore and didn't think he could run much,'' Gibbons said.

Davis went 2 for 3 with three RBIs for the AL East leaders, who are 8-1 in June after losing seven of their final nine in May.

''I feel like we've been kind of rolling lately and playing the game the right way,'' Davis said.

Hyun Soo Kim doubled against Roberto Osuna (2-1) to begin the ninth and was replaced by pinch-runner Joey Rickard. After Manny Machado's groundout advanced Rickard to third, Davis followed with a sacrifice fly to center, with Rickard sliding home easily as Kevin Pillar's throw was wide.

It was the major league-leading 16th loss of the season for Toronto's bullpen.

''I'm really disappointed in myself about tonight's game,'' Osuna said.

Dylan Bundy (2-1) pitched 2 1-3 innings for the win and Zach Britton finished for his AL-leading 19th save.

Machado remained in the lineup, hours after being suspended four games by Major League Baseball for charging the mound and punching Kansas City pitcher Yordano Ventura after being hit by a fastball this week. Ventura was penalized nine games. Both players have appealed, and remain eligible until the process is complete.

Baltimore right-hander Tyler Wilson allowed five runs and seven hits in 5 2-3 innings.

After Joe Biagini got the first out of the seventh, Gibbons brought left-hander Aaron Loup on to face Davis. Loup fell behind 3-1 before Davis tied it with an opposite field homer, his 13th.

GETTING TO KNOW YOU

This was the first of seven meetings between the Blue Jays and Orioles in the next 11 days.

TOUGH ON TORONTO

Davis has homered 32 times against the Blue Jays since 2008, more than any other opponent. David Ortiz had 31 homers against Toronto in that span.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Orioles: RHP Yovani Gallardo (shoulder tendinitis) will start for Triple-A Norfolk on Sunday and could rejoin Baltimore's rotation on June 18, manager Buck Showalter said. ... SS J.J. Hardy (broken left foot) took batting practice and fielded grounders at extended spring training in Sarasota, Florida. ... C Caleb Joseph (testicular injury) will take batting practice and resume throwing on Tuesday. Joseph is not expected to be able to catch until June 28.

Blue Jays: SS Troy Tulowitzki (strained right quadriceps) ran the bases Thursday at Toronto's spring training facility in Dunedin, Florida. Tulowitzki will play in an extended spring training game Friday and will play for Class-A Dunedin on Saturday, Gibbons said. Tulowitzki is eligible to come off the 15-day DL Monday.

UP NEXT

Orioles: RHP Kevin Gausman (0-3, 3.52) makes his third straight start against an AL East opponent Friday. Toronto is the only division opponent he has not faced this season.

Blue Jays: RHP Marco Estrada (4-2, 2.41) will try to win his fourth straight start when he faces the Orioles on Friday. He's 3-0 with a 1.96 ERA in his past three outings.