Blue Jays prospect Otto Lopez collects 3 hits in loss to O’s in doubleheader opener | CBC Sports

Terrin Vavra hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning to lift the Baltimore Orioles to a 5-4 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in the first game of a doubleheader Wednesday.

It was the first career homer for Vavra, and it capped Baltimore’s rally from a 4-0 deficit. Gabriel Moreno hit his first career home run for the Blue Jays, a three-run shot in the sixth.

Otto López opened the scoring for Toronto with an RBI single in the second. After Moreno’s drive to right-centre made it 4-0, Austin Hays hit a two-run double in the bottom of the sixth for the Orioles.

López had three hits for the Blue Jays after a strong finish to his season with the triple-A Buffalo Bisons. In 91 games, the 24-year-old infielder/outfielder posted a .297 batting average and .378 on-base percentage.

Faced with the task of navigating 18 innings of baseball while also preparing for their playoff series, the Blue Jays used a different pitcher for each of the first four innings. Then Mitch White took over and worked the final four.

White (0-5) allowed five runs and seven hits.

DL Hall (1-1) earned his first career victory in relief, and Bryan Baker worked a perfect ninth for his first career save.

The doubleheader was scheduled after the teams were rained out Tuesday. The Blue Jays had already wrapped up the top wild card in the American League, and the Orioles had already clinched a winning season. Toronto will host the Seattle Mariners in a best-of-three series.

Blue Jays playoff schedule

• Game 1: Friday vs. Seattle, 4:07 p.m. ET
• Game 2: Saturday, 4:07 p.m.
• Game 3: Sunday, 2:07 p.m.

Mike Baumann allowed four runs and nine hits in 5 1/3 innings for Baltimore, with first baseman Ryan Mountcastle had three for the Orioles.

Hall allowed singles to the first two batters of the eighth, but he worked out of that jam, setting the stage for Vavra’s big hit.

Relief pitcher David Phelps (2.87 ERA in 64 games this season) started Game 2 for the Blue Jays against fellow right-hander Spenser Watkins, who boasts a 5-6 record in 23 games (20 starts) this season.