Orioles 6

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. drives in the Blue Jays' first run with an RBI single.

TORONTO -- — Jack Flaherty pitched six innings to win his Baltimore debut, Ryan Mountcastle and Austin Hays each had four hits and the American League-leading Orioles beat the Toronto Blue Jays 6-1 on Thursday.

Mountcastle went 4 for 4 and scored twice and Hays was 4 for 5 with two RBI as Baltimore took three of four from Toronto. The Orioles are 8-2 against the Blue Jays this season.

“Still a long way to go, but love the way we’re playing,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said.

Baltimore extended its lead in the AL East to two games over idle Tampa Bay.

Toronto is 8-23 against the AL East and 52-27 against all other opponents.

Over the four-game series, Mountcastle went 11 for 13 with three walks, four doubles and six RBI. He also scored five runs.

“I’m going to put a massive Rogers Centre banner in his locker just to remind him what it feels like to hit here,” Hyde joked. “It’s the best I’ve ever seen him swing the bat, honestly, for a four-game set.”

Acquired from St. Louis on Tuesday, Flaherty (8-6) allowed one run and four hits. He walked two and struck out eight.

“It was fun,” Flaherty said. “New energy, new everything. Sometimes that can be a little tricky but (catcher Adley Rutschman) was awesome back there.”

Left-hander Danny Coulombe, and right-handers Yennier Cano and Mike Baumann each worked one inning.

Flaherty got a win against the Blue Jays for the second time this season. With the Cardinals, Flaherty overcame a career-worst seven walks to pitch five shutout innings and beat Toronto on April 1.

“I was definitely a different pitcher today than I was then,” Flaherty said. “I was able to do a lot more things.”

On Thursday, Toronto’s Whit Merrifield led off the bottom of the first with a single and Brandon Belt walked, but Flaherty retired the next 15 batters in order.

“That was amazing,” Mountcaste said. “He looked really good and had all his stuff working.”

Kevin Kiermaier singled to begin the sixth and was ruled safe at second on Merrifield’s infield single after the Blue Jays challenged umpire Mike Muchlinski’s force out call.

One out later, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit an RBI single. George Springer walked to load the bases, but Flaherty ended his outing by striking out Matt Chapman and getting Alejandro Kirk to fly out.

“Huge punch-out on Chapman there,” Hyde said.

Rutschman and Hays each hit RBI singles off right-hander Kevin Gausman in the second but left fielder Daulton Varsho threw Hays out at home plate to end the inning.

Gausman (8-6) allowed three runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings. He walked two and struck out six, boosting his AL-leading total to 177.

“They’re in first place and so they’re playing pretty free,” Gausman said of his former team. “I just think they have a good approach.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Orioles: LHP Keegan Akin (back) pitched one scoreless inning in a rehab appearance at Triple-A Norfolk Thursday. RHP Mychal Givens (shoulder) followed with two scoreless innings for the Tides.

Blue Jays: Toronto put RHP Trevor Richards on the 15-day IL because of neck inflammation and recalled RHP Bowden Francis from Triple-A Buffalo. ... RHP Chad Green (Tommy John surgery) allowed one hit and struck out two over 1 2/3 innings in a rehab appearance at Triple-A on Wednesday night. Green is expected to pitch for the Bisons again Saturday.

TOUCHING MOMENT

Mountcastle said some Blue Jays players were ribbing him about his hot series.

“Whenever they get to first they would try to touch my jersey and rub it off on them,” he said.

FAMILIAR FACE

Flaherty faced former Cardinals teammate Paul DeJong twice, striking him out in the second and retiring him on a fly ball in the fifth.

“I definitely laughed when I saw him come up the first time,” Flaherty said. “It was good to get him.”

Both Flaherty and DeJong were traded away from St. Louis on Tuesday after spending their entire careers with the Cardinals.

SAY HELLO

After a whirlwind couple of days following his trade, Flaherty said he looked forward to relaxing and getting to know his new teammates.

“I told them in there, ‘I can start to actually talk to you guys and learn your guys’ names,’” Flaherty said. “The last two days have been kind of go, go, go. Now I can start to take a deep breath.”

UP NEXT

Orioles: RHP Dean Kremer (10-4, 4.55 ERA) starts Friday as Baltimore returns home for an interleague series against the New York Mets. LHP David Peterson (3-7, 5.92) starts for New York.

Blue Jays: RHP Alek Manoah (2-8, 5.87 ERA) starts Friday as Toronto begins a three-game series in Boston. Canadian LHP James Paxton (6-2, 3.34) starts for the Red Sox, who are 7-0 against Toronto.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb