Hutchison goes 7 strong innings as Blue Jays beat Orioles 4-0

BALTIMORE -- Drew Hutchison scattered six hits over seven innings in another sparkling performance on the road, and the Toronto Blue Jays got a two-run homer from Juan Francisco in a 4-0 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night.

Hutchison (5-4) outpitched Ubaldo Jimenez (2-8), who allowed two runs and three hits in six innings but fell to 0-6 at home.

The difference was Francisco's 11th home run, a second-inning drive into the Baltimore bullpen following a walk to Brett Lawrie.

Hutchison struck out three, walked none and permitted only one runner past second base. The right-hander is 1-3 with an 8.72 ERA at home and 4-1 with a 1.79 ERA on the road.

After Hutchison retired three straight batters in the seventh following a leadoff double by J.J. Hardy, a thunderstorm stopped play for 21 minutes.

When play resumed, Toronto scored twice in the eighth off Tommy Hunter on a wild pitch and an RBI single by Jose Bautista.

Blue Jays reliever Brett Cecil left with an unspecified injury in the eighth inning. He was replaced by Dustin McGowan, who got five outs for his first major league save.

The victory snapped a three-game skid for the AL East-leading Blue Jays, who had lost five of six while being outscored 29-9.

Jimenez was seeking his first win at Camden Yards since signing a $50 million, four-year contract during the off-season. He walked five but, after Francisco homered, the right-hander did not give up another hit until Adam Lind singled off the right-field wall with two outs in the sixth.

Orioles starters have allowed two runs or fewer in 12 of the last 15 games.

Manny Machado had three hits for Baltimore, but the Orioles stranded nine and went 1 for 11 with runners in scoring position.

The Blue Jays put runners on the corners with no outs in the first inning before Jimenez worked out of trouble. In the second, however, Francisco delivered Toronto's major league leading 92nd home run.

That ended the Jays' run of four straight games without a homer and snapped Baltimore's streak of 43 innings without allowing a long ball. It also marked the first time in nine games that Toronto scored first.

After Baltimore loaded the bases with two outs in the fourth, Jonathan Schoop hit a fly to the warning track in centre field.

Beginning with that out, Hutchison retired 10 of the final 11 batters he faced.