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TORONTO – Before he even reached first George Springer had his arms in the air, celebrating. Once he was safely on base he continued to pump his arms up and down, with his Toronto Blue Jays teammates celebrated in the dugout.
It wasn’t the most impressive single, but Springer had finally ended his hitless drought.
The RBI helped Springer avoid setting a new Blue Jays record in futility and Toronto held on for a 4-1 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday. Springer had gone 35 at bats without a hit until the single and a 36th out would have given him sole possession of the franchise’s record for longest hitless skid.
“There was no joking. That was genuine happiness,” said Springer, the Blue Jays’ biggest jokester, to a round of laughs. “It’s no secret it’s been a hard stretch for me and not the time to go through it but that’s the game so I’m glad I can help in that spot.
“It felt good to see the ball hit the grass and I’m able to stay on base.”
Yusei Kikuchi (9-3) gave up just one run over six innings on six hits and three strikeouts as the Blue Jays (60-49) snapped a three-game skid. Relievers Yimi Garcia, Jordan Hicks and Erik Swanson preserved the win.
Kikuchi has allowed a total of three runs over his past four starts and has a 2.90 earned-run average over 11 appearances since June 1.
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“I think all of my pitches were working but just from the get go I was thinking just give my all,” said Kikuchi through translator Yusuke Oshima. “Just go 100 from the beginning today.”
Adley Rutschman had an RBI single as Baltimore (66-42) saw its three-game win streak end.
Grayson Rodriguez (2-3) struck out six over 5 2/3 innings and was charged three runs on two hits and two walks. Shintaro Fujinami and Cole Irvin came out of the Orioles bullpen.
Springer matched the dubious Blue Jays record when he grounded out in the third inning. His 35 at bats tied without a hit tied Ed Sprague (1994) and Danny Jansen (2022).
He avoided setting a new mark in the fourth when his single dropped into shallow field to score Brandon Belt from second. Springer’s exuberant celebration delighted the 36,924 at Rogers Centre.
Teammates like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Alek Manoah celebrated along with him, mimicking his arm waving.
“It is hilarious because everybody on that field, everybody in our dugout, knows what I’ve been going through,” said Springer. “But to constantly hear all day how much they believe in me and to have my back is pretty much all that matters.”
Rutschman’s fifth-inning single tied the game 1-1. With two outs, he hit it to second baseman Whit Merrifield. The infielder easily gathered up the ball but Belt was too far off base for the force out and Kikuchi hadn’t run off the mound to back up Belt.
With all that going on, James McCann easily ran home.
A bizarre series of miscues by the Orioles in the sixth inning handed the lead back to the Blue Jays.
Despite getting two outs to start the inning, Rodriguez and Fujinami combined to load the bases with three consecutive walks. Fujinami then plunked Toronto third baseman Matt Chapman in the back to force Belt across home.
Still struggling with control, Fujinami then hit Jansen in the elbow to push Vladimir Guerrero Jr., across the plate and add another run to the Blue Jays’ lead.
Daulton Varsho broke his bat swinging at a 100 mph four-seam Fujinami fastball in the next at bat, with his hit going directly to Orioles shortstop Jorge Mateo for what should have been an easy out at any base. But Mateo misplayed the ball, allowing Varsho to reach base on an error and Springer to score.
“It worked out with a couple of hit by pitches and him being around the zone a little bit,” said Schneider. “You take any win you can get, you know what I mean?
“Guys were ready for him and it just wasn’t in the zone and you’ve got to take advantage of opportunities.”
ROMANO HEALING — Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano of Markham, Ont., played catch before Wednesday’s game, a step toward returning from lower back soreness. Romano was put on the 15-day injured list on Saturday.
ON DECK — Toronto ace Kevin Gausman (8-5) takes the mound in the series finale against Baltimore on Thursday afternoon.
Jack Flaherty (7-6) will make his Orioles debut after being traded to Baltimore from the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 2, 2023.
© 2023 The Canadian Press
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