Galvis, Drury HRs help streaking Blue Jays beat Orioles 5-2
BALTIMORE (AP) — Undaunted by a trading spree that drained the roster, the Toronto Blue Jays are riding their longest winning streak of the season.
Freddy Galvis had a home run among his three hits, Brandon Drury also went deep and the Blue Jays beat the Baltimore Orioles 5-2 Friday night.
Not only have the Blue Jays won five straight for the first time since last Aug. 20-25, they're also riding their first five-game road winning streak since August 2015.
The surprising aspect of these streaks is that Toronto shipped away right-handers Marcus Stroman, Aaron Sanchez, Daniel Hudson, David Phelps and Joe Biagini, along with infielder Eric Sogard, prior to the July 31 trade deadline.
Despite being strapped for pitchers, the Blue Jays have limited Baltimore to a pair of runs in each of the last two games.
In this one, Wilmer Font served as the opener, Nick Kingham (3-1) worked three innings and Derek Law got the last six outs for his first save.
"Even though we lost all the pitching, the guys that are still back there are doing well," manager Charlie Montoyo said. "That's great, because they're getting a chance to show what they can do. So far, so good."
Galvis hit his 17th homer in the fourth inning off Aaron Brooks (2-5) and Drury connected in the sixth for a 4-0 lead. Toronto has seven home runs in the first two games of the series and a major league-leading 81 since June 16.
"We have a pretty good group of young guys and they know how to play baseball," Galvis said. "They've helped the team, and in the last week we've won a lot of games."
Chris Davis homered for the Orioles in this matchup between the last two teams in the AL East standings.
"The bottom line is we didn't score any runs," manager Brandon Hyde said. "They threw the ball well but we didn't do much offensively."
Davis hit his ninth home run with a man on in the seventh. He has two long balls in his last three games following a 15-game drought.
It was his 250th homer as an Oriole.
"It's been a little bit up and down lately, but looking back, it's been a lot of fun over the years to play here and wear this uniform and to get to know some of the guys that played here before me," Davis said. "So anytime I can be a part of that, it's special."
HE'S A HIT!
Bo Bichette doubled in the fifth inning to become the first player in Blue Jays history to amass nine hits over his first five big league games.
HELLO, GOODBYE
Toronto selected the contract of Kingham from Triple-A Buffalo before the game and optioned OF Billy McKinney to Buffalo.
SLUMPING SISCO
Baltimore's Chance Sisco was batting .283 before the All-Star break, and now he's at .220 after going 0 for 4 on Friday. Since the break, the catcher is 7 for 49 (.143) over 14 games. "He's really pressing," Hyde said before the game, adding that Sisco is "showing his frustration" by chasing pitches out of the strike zone.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Blue Jays: OF Randal Grichuk, who fouled a ball off his face Thursday, said he was ready to go after having dental work done Friday on two teeth that were pushed back. But Montoyo left the team's home run leader on the bench. "I told them I wanted to play today, and Charlie said, 'Just take the day,'" Grichuk said. ... Montoyo said RHP Jordan Romano is scheduled to throw an inning Aug. 9 as part of his recovery from an oblique injury.
Orioles: 2B Hanser Alberto did not start after bruising his left shin Thursday night. Alberto, the team leader with a .315 batting average, flied out as a pinch hitter in the ninth. ... OF/INF Stevie Wilkerson underwent tests on his swollen right knee, an injury that occurred while he was swinging the bat in the series opener. He did not play. ... RHP Asher Wojciechowski received treatment on his right hip after hurting it one night earlier. "Hopefully he won't miss a start," Hyde said.
UP NEXT
Blue Jays: LHP Thomas Pannone (2-4, 5.98 ERA) makes his fifth start of the year. He's thrown five scoreless innings against Baltimore over two relief appearances this season.
Orioles: RHP Dylan Bundy (5-11, 5.24) is 4-3 with a 3.23 ERA in 12 lifetime appearances against Toronto. This year, he's 1-0 with a 1.35 ERA vs the Blue Jays.
