Pirates are shut down by Blue Jays, Morrow

Associated Press

TORONTO

Add another game to Paul Maholm’s run of rotten road luck.

Yunel Escobar doubled home the tie-breaking run in the seventh inning, Brandon Morrow struck out 10 and the Toronto Blue Jays beat Maholm and the Pittsburgh Pirates 2-1 on Wednesday night.

Maholm (4-9) allowed two runs and nine hits in seven innings but dropped to 0-7 in 11 career starts in AL stadiums.

The right-hander is 1-5 away from home this season, and has received two runs of support or less in five of eight road outings.

“He’s been doing that all year and we haven’t had a chance to give him any run support,” Pittsburgh’s Lyle Overbay said. “It’s frustrating because we all know it. He’s definitely deserving of a way better record and fate than what he’s got.”

Miscues on the bases also hurt the Pirates. Matt Diaz got caught in a rundown between second and third in the fifth, and Garret Jones was picked off first base after missing a sign in the eighth.

“We made bad decisions on the bases tonight,” Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said.

Rookie outfielder Eric Thames hit his first career home run for Toronto, a solo shot in the sixth, but Morrow’s strong outing stole the show.

“I faced Brandon in spring training and his [fastball] has just got so much life,” Thames said. “It’s downhill and it feels like it scrapes the bottom of the strike zone every time. You think it’s a ball but it’s right at your knees.”

Morrow (4-4) allowed one run and four hits in seven innings, walking three. It’s the fourth time in his career he’s fanned at least 10, and the second time this season. His career high in strikeouts is 17, set Aug. 8, 2010, against Tampa Bay.

“I didn’t throw too many other things than fastball and slider today but I had the change of velocity from the two-seamer to the four-seamer and I had the slider to both sides of the plate,” Morrow said.

Hurdle called Morrow’s slider “fantastic,” but said his strikeout-prone batters didn’t help themselves.

“We can get in swing-mode sometimes and tonight I thought we took too many fastballs early.”