Springer’s RBI single helps Blue Jays to 4-1 win

George Springer's RBI single helped him avoid setting a new Blue Jays record in futility and Toronto held on for a 4-1 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday.

TORONTO – George Springer’s RBI single helped him avoid setting a new Blue Jays record in futility and Toronto held on for a 4-1 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday.

Springer had gone 35 at bats without a hit until the single. A 36th would have given him the franchise record for hitless droughts.

The rest of Toronto’s (60-49) offence came from a series of walks, hit by pitches, and an error by the Orioles.

Yusei Kikuchi (9-3) gave up just one run over six innings on six hits, a walk, a three strikeouts as the Blue Jays snapped a three-game skid. Relievers Yimi Garcia, Jordan Hicks and Erik Swanson preserved the win.

Adley Rutschman had an RBI single as Baltimore (66-42) had its three-game win streak end.

Grayson Rodriguez (2-3) struck out six over 5 2/3 innings and was charged three runs on two hits and two walks. Shintaro Fujinami, Cole Irvin

Springer matched the dubious Blue Jays record when he grounded out in the third inning. It was his 35th consecutive at bat without a hit, tying a franchise record shared with Ed Sprague (1994) and Danny Jansen (2022).

He avoided setting a new mark in the fourth inning when his single dropped into shallow field to score Brandon Belt from second. Springer threw his hands in the air upon reaching base, clearly elated to avoid setting the new record, to the delight of the 36,924 at Rogers Centre.