TORONTO — The Baltimore Orioles are back in first place in the American League East division and the win column.
Jonathan Schoop hit a go-ahead single while Adam Jones launched a three-run home run in the 12th inning to help Baltimore beat the Toronto Blue Jays 6-2. The win snapped a five-game skid for the Orioles and gave them a 1/2 game lead over Toronto for first in the division.
"We outlasted them," said Jones. "They grinded, we grinded, (it was) a good game to go into an off day, a much-needed win."
Jones' three-run homer came off Jesse Chavez and also helped the Orioles (59-45) avoid a three-game sweep. Franklin Morales (0-1) was charged with the loss.
Baltimore closer Zach Britton pitched a scoreless ninth and 10th before Mychal Givens did the same in the 11th. Givens (8-1) was credited with the victory.
Toronto starter Aaron Sanchez pitched seven solid innings allowing two runs, four hits and two walks. The 24-year-old leads the American League with a 2.71 earned-run average.
"(It) just sucks we couldn't pull that one out at the end, they're a good team," said Sanchez.
Baltimore starter Chris Tillman pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing two runs while scattering five hits and striking out six.
Newly-acquired reliever Joaquin Benoit, Roberto Osuna, Jason Grilli and Brett Cecil pitched four scoreless innings for Toronto (59-46), but Morales struggled out of the gate in the 12th.
He issued a four-pitch walk to Pedro Alvarez to begin the inning before Alvarez moved to second on a balk and scored on Schoop's single. After J.J. Hardy walked, Chavez came on in relief and gave up a no-doubter to Jones, his 20th of the season.
The Blue Jays drew first blood in the second after Devon Travis delivered with an RBI fielder's choice that scored Russell Martin.
Troy Tulowitzki led off the fourth by greeting Tillman's first pitch with an absolute rocket off the facade of the 500 level at Rogers Centre. The solo shot was Tulowitzki's 18th homer of the season, giving Toronto a 2-0 lead.
Tulowitzki was hit on the fingers of his right hand by Tillman in the sixth inning. The shortstop was in considerable pain but played on for a bit before being removed following the seventh.
Blue Jays manager John Gibbons says that Tulowitzki has a small chip fracture in his right thumb and that the team would re-evaluate him on Monday.
"I'll get up, come to the field, see how it feels, and hopefully get some inflammation out of there," said Tulowitzki. "I could throw, but wasn't able to grip a bat. If I was able to go, I definitely would have been in there."
Sanchez had just 73 pitches through six scoreless innings, but Baltimore got to him in the seventh. Chris Davis led off with a walk and Mark Trumbo followed with a double. Davis scored on an RBI groundout by Alvarez and Trumbo plated after a Matt Wieters sacrifice fly to tie the game at 2-2.
"I thought there was a couple questionable calls all night, maybe one or two that at bat, that changes my approach to Davis there," said Sanchez. "With that being said, any time you issue a lead off walk they come back to haunt you."
Notes: Blue Jays outfielder Junior Lake cleared waivers and was sent to triple-A Buffalo while also being removed from the 40-man roster.
Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version had the incorrect score and incorrect pitcher that gave up the 12th inning home run.
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