Blue Jays beat Orioles to avoid series sweep

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit a two-run home run in the first inning, right-hander Trent Thornton pitched six shutout innings and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the visiting Baltimore Orioles 6-1 on Sunday afternoon. Thornton (3-6) limited the Orioles to three hits and no walks while striking out five as the Blue Jays completed their homestand with a 5-5 record.

Teoscar Hernandez added a two-run single for the Blue Jays, who avoided being swept in the three-game series after dropping the first two games. Orioles starter Asher Wojciechowski (0-2) allowed three runs, four hits, and three walks in 4 1/3 innings. The right-hander struck out six. The Blue Jays scored twice in the first when Freddy Galvis walked and Gurriel proceeded to blast his 16th homer of the season. Toronto added a run in the fourth. Rookie Vladimir Guerrero Jr. doubled with one out and came around to score on a double by Danny Jansen.

Shawn Armstrong replaced Wojciechowski after Galvis tripled with one out in the fifth. A strikeout and flyout ended the inning and stranded Galvis at third. The Blue Jays scored three in the sixth. Guerrero singled and Justin Smoak walked to start the inning. After that, Rowdy Tellez hit an RBI double that scored Guerrero, and Hernandez blooped a two-run single to left to give Toronto the 6-0 lead.

David Phelps replaced Thornton to start the seventh and gave up Chance Sisco's sixth homer of the season to lead off the inning. He pitched around a walk to complete the inning. Gurriel managed to get into scoring position against Gabriel Ynoa in the bottom of the seventh but was unable to cross home plate. Paul Fry replaced Ynoa in the bottom of the eight after Jansen led off with a single. Fry finished the inning with a strikeout and a double-play grounder. Toronto's Daniel Hudson allowed a single and a double in the ninth but finished the frame unscathed to end the game. 

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