Three Blue Jays droughts ended Monday:
Toronto won the second game of a doubleheader, 9-5 over the Orioles in Baltimore, to snap its seven-game losing string.
J.P. Arencibia drove in five runs in the nightcap, going 3-for-3 with a grand slam and a sacrifice fly. He had not hit driven in a run since July 24, the day before he suffered a fractured right hand that kept him on the disabled list until Sept. 7.
But the longest slump of all ended when starting pitcher Ricky Romero survived five-plus innings to earn the win. He had pitched better and lost, but Monday’s outing ended a string of 15 starts without a victory. He had not won since June 22 at Miami, and he had lost 13 consecutive decisions.
After Monday’s win, Romero is 9-14 with a 5.76 ERA. After beating the Miami Marlins in June, he was 8-1 with a 4.34 ERA.
Romero left the sixth inning Monday after loading the bases with no outs and Toronto leading 5-3. Brad Lincoln limited the damage to one run, which scored when his first batter singled. Lincoln struck out Adam Jones and was helped when Orioles catcher Taylor Teagarden was thrown out at home by left fielder Anthony Gose on a fly ball by Chris Davis for an inning-ending double play.
“That was the game right there,” Romero said, “and then obviously J.P. put the icing on the cake with that grand slam.”
Arencibia’s slam in the seventh increased Toronto’s lead to 9-4.
“I had no problem in sending him back out for the sixth,” manager John Farrell said. “Through his struggles, this is something that we continue to try to push through to show him that confidence, and you know what? Good for him and good for us. We needed a win, and it’s been a long time since Ricky has been able to see a ‘W’ after his name.”