TORONTO -- Kelly Johnson and Edwin Encarnacion each hit two-run homers and Drew Hutchison pitched seven strong innings as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Baltimore Orioles 6-2 on Monday.
Hutchison (4-2) held the Orioles to three hits, three walks and no runs while striking out a career-high nine batters in his 114-pitch outing to give the Blue Jays' overworked bullpen a break.
Closer Casey Janssen came into the game in the ninth pick up his fourth save as Toronto snapped a five-game losing streak.
Johnson also had two doubles and three RBIs on the game. The Blue Jays (25-24) were looking for a strong start after a 1-5 trip that featured short outings by their starters and two extra-inning games, stretching the bullpen.
Toronto had to call on its triple-A club in Las Vegas for fresh arms during the weekend three-game sweep at the hands of the Texas Rangers.
The Blue Jays were outscored 34-16 in the series against Texas that featured a start of two-thirds of an inning by Brandon Morrow in a 14-3 loss on Friday and a three-inning start by Kyle Drabek in a 12-6 loss on Sunday.
The Orioles (29-20), the surprise team in the American League East this season, lost their third game in a row.
They scored two runs in the ninth inning on four hits against reliever Francisco Cordero. Wilson Betemit singled in one run and Mark Reynolds doubled in another before Janssen was brought into the game.
Orioles starter Tommy Hunter (2-3) left without retiring a batter in the fourth after Johnson's two-run homer. Hunter allowed nine hits and six runs, five earned. Left-hander Dana Eveland took over and pitched four runless innings.
The Blue Jays scored in the first when Johnson's leadoff double was followed by Colby Rasmus' single. Johnson has reached base in 20 consecutive games.
They added a run in the second on singles by David Cooper and Jeff Mathis, a sacrifice by Omar Vizquel, and a groundout by Johnson.
Hutchison flirted with danger in the third when he allowed a single and three walks but the Orioles stranded three runners and did not score.
Jose Bautista reached first base in the third inning when Davis, playing first base, failed to come up with shortstop J.J. Hardy's throw. Encarnacion followed with his 16th homer of the season to increase the lead to 4-0.
Johnson's ninth homer of the season in the fourth followed a leadoff single by Vizquel, who tied Brooks Robinson for 43rd on the all-time hit list with 2,848.
Notes: Attendance at Rogers Centre was 16,575 ... Orioles centre-fielder Adam Jones singled in the ninth to extend his hit string to 19 games. ... The Blue Jays called up left-hander Aaron Laffey from Las Vegas for Monday's game and returned right-hander Chad Beck to their triple-A team ... Shortstop Yunel Escobar did not start Monday's game because of tightness in his left groin that forced him from Sunday's 12-6 loss at Texas in the fifth inning. He is listed as day to day. ... Johnson was back at second base Monday after missing two games with a sore hamstring. ... Left-hander Ricky Romero (5-1, 3.86 earned-run average) will start Tuesday against right-hander Jake Arrieta (2-5, 4.87 ERA).
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