Orioles split doubleheader, lose 2nd game, 8-4, to Blue Jays

BALTIMORE—After watching catcher James McCann’s courageous performance inspire the Orioles during their 11-5 first-game win, his teammates reverted to their lackluster play of recent weeks in the second game of Monday’s doubleheader.

McCann suffered what the Orioles suspect is a broken nose after he was hit by a pitch from the Blue Jays’ Yariel Rodriguez with the bases loaded in the first, and he remained in the game and caught the final eight innings.

After that win, the Orioles committed three errors in the second game and lost to the Toronto Blue Jays, 8-4, before a doubleheader crowd of 22,272 on Monday night. Because of rain, the second game started one hour, 41 minutes late.

The Orioles (63-44) have lost 11 of 17 and after the New York Yankees’ 14-4 win over the Philadelphia Phillies, the Orioles are just one-half game ahead in the American League East.

In the first game, Zach Eflin pitched six innings, allowing three runs on 10 hits, in his first start for the Orioles. Ryan Mountcastle and Anthony Santander homered.

Cade Povich (1-5), who was called up from Triple-A Norfolk as the 27^th man for the doubleheader, allowed six runs, three unearned, on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings in Game 2, walking five and striking out one. Povich’s lack of command coupled with shoddy defense were a bad combination.

Povich gave up an RBI double to Ernie Clement in the first, and an RBI single to Steward Berroa in the second. After an error by shortstop Jordan Westburg on a stolen-base attempt, an infield out by Spencer Horwitz scored Berroa.

Home runs by Colton Cowser, his 15^th and first as a leadoff batter, and a two-run homer by Westburg, his 18^th, had tied the game, 3-3, after two.

The Blue Jays took a 5-3 lead in the fourth after Berroa reached on another  error by Westburg, stole second and scored on an RBIs double by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Davis Schneider’s sacrifice fly scored George Springer, who walked.

Springer’s RBI single in the fifth gave Toronto a 6-3 lead. Guerrero, who homered in both games, hit his 21^st in the eighth, and added an RBI double, his third of the game, against Craig Kimbrel in the ninth.  He was 7-for-10 with five RBIs, hitting the ball as hard as 115 mph.

Toronto starter Bowden Francis (4-2), like Povich the 27^th man for the doubleheader, allowed three runs on six hits in 5 2/3 innings.

Cowser’s RBI single in the seventh temporarily cut Toronto’s lead to 6-4.

The Orioles made no moves on Monday in advance of Tuesday’s 6 p.m. trade deadline.