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Baltimore Orioles' power, Dylan Bundy's arm highlight win over Toronto Blue Jays

By Jeff Seidel, The Sports Xchange
Baltimore Orioles pitcher Dylan Bundy throws a pitch. File photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI
Baltimore Orioles pitcher Dylan Bundy throws a pitch. File photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo

BALTIMORE -- The combination of a strong effort from starter Dylan Bundy and a pair of Baltimore home runs proved just enough for the Orioles on Wednesday night.

Adam Jones and Chris Davis both homered, and Bundy threw seven solid innings as the Orioles scored a 3-1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays, completing the sweep of a brief two-game season-opening series.

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Jones (two-run shot) and Davis (solo) each hit their first homers of the season, both off Toronto starter J.A. Happ (0-1).

For Davis, the home run was his 200th as an Oriole. Jones' home run was his 223rd with Baltimore, tying him with Rafael Palmeiro for fifth in franchise history.

Bundy (1-0) gave the Orioles a strong start after struggling in spring training (2-1, 7.41 ERA). He allowed one run on four hits in the career-best seven innings, and manager Buck Showalter confirmed not being too worried over the numbers Bundy posted in spring training.

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"I watched his work days; I watched his face and body language, (and) he's feeling good about himself," Showalter said. "His arm, shoulder, his body felt good. There was no reason to think anything else."

The right-hander struck out the side in the first and finished with eight strikeouts and no walks in a dominating performance.

Bundy mixed his pitches well, often using a slider to befuddle the Toronto hitters and was happy to last seven innings.

"Any time after six, I consider that quality and you're doing your job, keeping the team in the game to win," Bundy said. "Tonight, I was able to do my job. I felt fine physically. I felt like I could have went another one."

Brad Brach replaced Bundy and gave up a lead-off double to Justin Smoak in the eighth but escaped without a run.

Zach Britton closed it in the ninth for his first save this season. He also ran into trouble, allowing two singles and a one-out walk before getting Steve Pearce to ground into a game-ending double play.

Britton converted all 47 of his save opportunities last year.

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"They hit some pitches that I just left out over the plate," Britton said. "But at the end of the day, it's about getting the win, so it's not what my line looks like."

Happ (0-1) pitched almost as well as Bundy in his seven innings of work but those two Orioles' homers proved to be his downfall. The left-hander allowed three runs on five hits and struck out nine without a walk.

"They're a power lineup, no doubt about it," Happ said. "We knew that going in. I guess a bloop and a blast was enough tonight."

The Blue Jays took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third on Devon Travis' single. Bundy retired the first seven Toronto batters before Justin Smoak and Kevin Pillar singled, and Travis followed with an RBI bloop single to right.

Baltimore answered in the bottom half, when Jones lined a two-out, two-run homer to left off Happ that put the Orioles on top 2-1. The Orioles nearly got back-to-back homers but Pillar made a leaping catch at the wall in center on Manny Machado's shot, ending the inning.

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Davis then made it 3-1 with his homer in the fourth, a blast to left-center.

The Blue Jays, who boast plenty of power themselves, couldn't find much in this series. They scored only three runs in 20 innings and did not hit a home run, something that Toronto manager John Gibbons noticed.

"The key to the series is they hit three home runs, (and) we didn't hit any," Gibbons said. "That was the difference-maker. They scored like that -- and we couldn't. But we'll be OK."

NOTES: RHP Chris Tillman (shoulder bursitis) had another throwing session before the game and LHP Wade Miley threw six innings in a simulated game at Double-A Bowie on Tuesday. Baltimore manager Buck Showalter expects an early May return for Tillman, and Miley (upper respiratory infection) should be ready to start Sunday when eligible to return from the disabled list. ... Toronto manager John Gibbons said that RHP Roberto Osuna (neck) is improving every day and is expected to be able to come off the disabled list when eligible on Tuesday.

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