Bergesen carries Orioles to 3-1 win over Blue Jays and Bautista

Orioles beat Blue Jays 3-1 despite Bautista HR

BALTIMORE — Brad Bergesen pitched a seven-hitter, and the Baltimore Orioles withstood Jose Bautista’s major league-leading 47th home run and ruined the debut of right-hander Kyle Drabek with a 3-1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday night.

Bergesen (7-10) struck out three and walked none in his third career complete game, second this season. The right-hander came in with a 6.99 ERA in five lifetime starts against the Blue Jays, but dominated this one after yielding a solo homer to Bautista in the first inning.

Bergesen was aided by two double plays, and the Orioles threw out a runner at the plate.

Baltimore swept the three-game series and have won nine of 11 games. The Orioles are 26-15 under manager Buck Showalter, including 9-6 against the AL East.

Bautista’s drive tied the Toronto club record set in 1987 by George Bell. It was his seventh of the season versus the Orioles, the most against any team, and second off Bergesen.

Toronto has hit at least one home run in 17 consecutive games, the longest run in the AL this year and one short of the streak of 18 straight by Cincinnati from May 11-29.

Drabek, the son of former Cy Young winner Doug Drabek, pitched well enough to win. But Bergesen was better.

Drabek (0-1), the Eastern League pitcher of the year, gave up three runs and nine hits in six innings in his major league debut. He struck out five and walked three.

His father was in attendance. Doug Drabek made his debut against the Orioles for the New York Yankees in June 1986.

After Bautista’s homer, Vernon Wells reached on an error and was thrown out at the plate trying to score on a double by Lyle Overbay.

In the bottom half, Drabek yielded singles to the first two batters he faced. The Orioles then pulled off a double steal before Luke Scott hit an RBI groundout.

Baltimore missed a scoring opportunity in the third when Cesar Izturis was tagged out trying to score on a double by Brian Roberts.

But the Orioles took the lead with a two-run fourth. After Corey Patterson hit an RBI single, another run scored when Roberts bounced into a double play.

Notes: Showalter said there’s a 50-50 chance rookie RHP Jake Arrieta will be shut down before pitching again this season. One cause of hesitation is because the Orioles want him to experience pitching against Boston at Fenway Park. … Toronto has lost seven of eight. … Roberts has reached base safely in 25 straight games.