Beavers hits leadoff homer, Mayo also connects as Orioles beat Blue Jays 7-4

TORONTO (AP) — Dylan Beavers, a rookie, hit his first career leadoff home run, while Coby Mayo added a solo blast as the Baltimore Orioles defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 7-4. The matchup marked the start of a series between AL wild-card contenders. Christian Encarnacion-Strand contributed with three hits and Beavers added three RBIs, leading the Orioles to their third win in four games following six consecutive losses.

The Orioles are currently 3-7 in September. Baltimore trailed Toronto by one game in the race for the final wild-card spot. Brett Bateman, the Toronto rookie, had three hits, including his first career home run off Alex Hoppe in the ninth inning. Rico Garcia saved the game for the Orioles with his eighth save in 14 opportunities.

The Blue Jays entered the game one game behind Cleveland for the wild-card position. Chris Bassitt, Baltimore's starting pitcher, struck out five in five-plus innings, conceding six runs and six hits. Beavers hit a seventh-inning homer on Scherzer's second pitch, his seventh overall. Scherzer (2-8) allowed six runs and a season-high seven hits in five innings.

The Orioles capitalized on six consecutive hits off Scherzer to begin the second inning, with Heston Kjerstad driving in a run with a bases-loaded single, Colton Cowser adding a two-run double, and Beavers closing out the five-run rally with a two-run single. Toronto’s Kazuma Okamoto hit a solo homer off Bassitt in the fourth inning, his 31st of the season.

Andrés Giménez contributed with an RBI groundout in the sixth inning. Mayo answered with a homer off Braydon Fisher in the seventh inning, his 23rd of the season. Baltimore has hit multiple home runs in five consecutive games against Toronto, a streak that began on September 14, 2025. The Orioles are set to face Kyle Bradish (7-13, 3.91 ERA) on Saturday, while Toronto had not yet named their starter, with Spencer Arrighetti (7-9, 5.12) expected to take the mound.