Beavers hits leadoff homer, Mayo also connects as Orioles beat Blue Jays 7-4
Baltimore Orioles' Dylan Beavers (12) celebrates his solo home run with Pete Alonso (25) as Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk (30) looks on during the first inning of a baseball game in Toronto on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026. Credit: AP/Nathan Denette
TORONTO — Dylan Beavers hit his first career leadoff home run, Coby Mayo added a solo blast and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Toronto Blue Jays 7-4 on Friday night in the opener of a series between AL wild-card contenders.
Christian Encarnacion-Strand had three hits and Beavers had three RBIs as the Orioles won for the third time in four games after losing the previous six. Baltimore is 3-7 in September.
Toronto rookie Brett Bateman had three hits, including his first career home run, a two-run blast off Alex Hoppe in the ninth.
Rico Garcia retired Alejandro Kirk on a fielder's choice to end it for his eighth save in 14 chances.
The Blue Jays came in one game behind Cleveland for the final wild-card spot. Baltimore entered three games back.
Chris Bassitt (7-5) struck out five in five-plus innings to beat his former team. Bassitt allowed two runs and six hits.
Beavers homered on Max Scherzer’s second pitch of the game, his seventh.
Baltimore Orioles pitcher Chris Bassitt (40) works against the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning of a baseball game in Toronto on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026. Credit: AP/Nathan Denette
Scherzer (2-8) allowed six runs and a season-high seven hits in five innings.
The Orioles got six consecutive hits off Scherzer to begin the second inning. Heston Kjerstad drove in a run with a bases-loaded single, Colton Cowser followed with a two-run double and Beavers capped the five-run outburst with a two-run single.
Toronto’s Kazuma Okamoto hit a solo home run off Bassitt in the fourth, his 31st.
Andrés Giménez made it 6-2 with an RBI groundout in the sixth. Mayo answered with a homer off Braydon Fisher in the seventh, his 23rd.
Baltimore Orioles' Colton Cowser hits a two-run double against the Toronto Blue Jays during the second inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026. Credit: AP/Nathan Denette
The Orioles have hit multiple home runs in five straight at Toronto, a streak that began Sept. 14, 2025.
Up next
RHP Kyle Bradish (7-13, 3.91 ERA) was scheduled to start for the Orioles on Saturday. Toronto had not named a starter, but RHP Spencer Arrighetti (7-9, 5.12) was expected to feature.
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