Guerrero homers and Kikuchi snaps seven-start winless streak as Blue Jays beat Orioles 6-5

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Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Yusei Kikuchi (16) throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles in Toronto, Thursday June 6, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

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Toronto Blue Jays’ Vladimir Guerrero Jr. celebrates after hitting a three-run home run off Baltimore Orioles pitcher Cade Povich during the third inning of a baseball game in Toronto Thursday June 6, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

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Toronto Blue Jays’ Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hits a three-run home run off Baltimore Orioles pitcher Cade Povich during the third inning of a baseball game in Toronto Thursday June 6, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

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Baltimore Orioles pitcher Cade Povich reacts as he closes out the first inning after Toronto Blue Jays first base Vladimir Guerrero Jr., right, flied out to right field during a baseball game in Toronto Thursday June 6, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

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Baltimore Orioles’ Cade Povich throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto, Thursday June 6, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

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Toronto Blue Jays first base Vladimir Guerrero Jr. makes his way to the dugout before a baseball game against Baltimore Orioles in Toronto, Thursday June 6, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

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Toronto Blue Jays’ Bo Bichette steps onto the field before a baseball game against Baltimore Orioles in Toronto, Thursday June 6, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

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Toronto Blue Jays’ Ernie Clement watches the flight of the ball after hitting a two-run RBI single during the sixth inning of a baseball game against Baltimore Orioles in Toronto, Thursday June 6, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

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Baltimore Orioles designated hitter Adley Rutschman hits a solo home run off Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Yusei Kikuchi during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Thursday June 6, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

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Baltimore Orioles pitcher Cade Povich reacts as he makes his way to the dugout at the end of third inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto, Thursday June 6, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

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Baltimore Orioles designated hitter Adley Rutschman celebrates in the dugout after hitting a solo home run off Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Yusei Kikuchi during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Thursday June 6, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

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Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Yusei Kikuchi reacts after striking out Baltimore Orioles Gunnar Henderson to close out the top of the sixth inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Thursday June 6, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

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Baltimore Orioles pitcher Cade Povich reacts as he makes his way to the dugout at the end of the third inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto, Thursday June 6, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

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Baltimore Orioles pitcher Cade Povich throws to first to out Toronto Blue Jays’ Bo Bichette during the third inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Thursday June 6, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

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Baltimore Orioles designated hitter Adley Rutschman celebrates in the dugout after hitting a two-run home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto, Thursday June 6, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

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Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. reacts during the ninth inning of a baseball game against Baltimore Orioles in Toronto on Thursday June 6, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

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Toronto Blue Jays’ Vladimir Guerrero Jr. reacts after he was doused following their 6-5 win over the Baltimore Orioles in a baseball game in Toronto, Thursday June 6, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

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Baltimore Orioles designated hitter Adley Rutschman watches the flight of the ball after hitting a two-run home run as Toronto Blue Jays catcher Danny Jansen looks during the eighth inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Thursday June 6, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

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Baltimore Orioles pinch hitter Ryan O’Hearn celebrates in the dugout after hitting a two-run home run during the ninth inning of a baseball game against Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto, Thursday June 6, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

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Baltimore Orioles’ Cade Povich stands one the mound as he is pulled from the game during the sixth inning of a baseball game against Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto, Thursday June 6, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

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Toronto Blue Jays’ Vladimir Guerrero Jr. watches as Baltimore Orioles’ Austin Hays reacts after being hit by a ball from Jays pitcher Yimi García during the ninth inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Thursday June 6, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

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Baltimore Orioles’ Cade Povich tosses to first for the out on Toronto Blue Jays’ George Springer during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Thursday June 6, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

By IAN HARRISON

TORONTO (AP) — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a three-run home run, Yusei Kikuchi pitched six innings to snap a seven-start winless streak and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Baltimore Orioles 6-5 on Thursday to split their four-game series.

Adley Rutschman homered from both sides of the plate for the first time in his career, but the Orioles lost their second straight game.

“It was a hard-fought series for sure,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “I just couldn’t be happier with how they responded after the first two.”

Baltimore scored 19 runs in the first 20 innings of this series but only five over the final 16 innings.

Rutschman hit a solo homer off the left-handed Kikuchi (3-5) in the sixth inning and added a two-run blast off righty Zach Pop in the eighth. The homers were his 11th and 12th this season.

“He gives you a great at-bat every time,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “He competes, and he can really hit.”

Rutschman also homered twice in a 3-2 home loss to Toronto on May 13. Both of those came against right-hander José Berríos.

Kikuchi allowed one run and four hits. He walked one and struck out six.

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“That’s probably the best I’ve seen him against us,” Hyde said. “He’s been good, but that was 97, 98 mph bullets with a really good breaking ball and a changeup.”

Yimi García gave up a two-out, two-run home run to pinch-hitter Ryan O’Hearn in the ninth but struck out pinch-hitter Kyle Stowers to earn his fourth save in five chances.

O’Hearn’s homer was his eighth of the season.

Guerrero reached base three times as the Blue Jays became the final AL East team to record 30 wins.

Guerrero called it “huge” for Toronto to recover after 7-2 and 10-1 losses in the first two games against the Orioles.

“It looks better, but I’m not comfortable yet,” Guerrero said through an interpreter. “We’ve got to win more games.”

Making his major league debut, Baltimore’s Cade Povich allowed six runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings. He walked four and struck out two just hours after the O’s selected his contract from Triple-A Norfolk and optioned lefty Nick Vespi to Triple-A.

“I felt fully prepared, fully ready,” Povich said. “It’s a moment I’ve been waiting for since I was a little kid.”

Povich (0-1) needed just four pitches to strike out leadoff batter Davis Schneider, and he retired the first five batters in order.

Guerrero made Povich pay for a pair of walks in the third by hitting a two-out home run, going deep for the seventh time this season. It was the first hit allowed by the left-hander.

“Only a few pitches, probably, he wants back,” Hyde said. “I thought he threw the ball great. Good fastball, I liked his cutter. I liked the poise on the mound. He pitched into the sixth inning on the road in his first major league start. I thought he did a great job.”

The Orioles are 6-10 in one-run games.

UP NEXT

Orioles: Baltimore did not name a starter for Friday’s game at Tampa Bay, the opener of a four-game series. RHP Aaron Civale (2-4, 5.37 ERA) is scheduled to go for the Rays.

Blue Jays: RHP Chris Bassitt (6-6, 4.13 ERA) is expected to start against his former team on Friday night when Toronto begins a three-game series at Oakland. RHP Luis Medina (0-0, 0.00) is scheduled to go for the Athletics.

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