The Blue Jays came out on top in a back and forth win over the Orioles to even the series at a game each.

Shaun Marcum returned from the DL and made his first start since his injury a month ago. Marcum’s pitches were flat resulting in surrendering the most runs he’s allowed in an outing all season... including three home runs.

The Orioles opened the scoring in the first when Nick Markakis hit a two-run homer deep over the right field wall. The Orioles stuck again in the third when Melvin Mora doubled in two runs putting the O’s up 4-0.

The Jays hit the board in the fourth when John McDonald sac flied in Scott Rolen.

  The big inning for the Blue Jays came in the fifth. Alex Rios lead the inning off with a home run cutting the score in half at 4-2. The Jays loaded the bases with two outs when the Orioles elected to intentionally walk Kevin Mench, to pitch to the light hitting John McDonald. McDonald made the Orioles pay big time when he clubbed a double off the left field wall, scoring clearing the bases, putting the Jays ahead by a score of 6-4.

Matt Stairs capped off the inning by plating McDonald on a base hit to left field.

However the lead was very short lived. Shaun Marcum let the O’s right back into the game by allowing two homers. A solo shot and a two-run shot, that put the Orioles ahead again at 8-7.

Starting Lineup
Toronto Blue Jays @ Baltimore Orioles - July 22, 2008 (Box)

It was a back and fourth battle, so the Jays answered with three runs of their own in the top of the sixth. Adam Lind crushed a line drive home run to right field with two runners on, putting the Jays back ahead 9-7.

Lind was 4-for-5 on the night and was just a triple short of the cycle. In 97 at bats this season he has 22 RBIs which is roughly an RBI a per game played on average.

Rod Barajas tacked on another run in the 8th inning with an RBI single putting the Jays up 10-7.

B.J. Ryan was called on the pitch the 9th, and made it very interesting allowing a run and eventually loading the bases. Brad Wilkerson robbed Aubrey Huff of a likely single and posible RBI single, in what turned out to be a big play. Ryan escaped with a save when Ramon Hernandez ended the game on a lazy fly ball out to Rios in center.

Jesse Carlson, out of the bullpen, was the winner putching 1.1 innings in relief of Marcum.

Tonights game was regular season game No. 5,000 in Toronto Blue Jays history.

A.J. Burnett will be on the hill tomorrow in the third game of the four game set.