The Toronto Blue Jays (3-1) continued their strong start to the 2015 season with a 12-5 thumping of the Baltimore Orioles (2-2) at Camden Yards Friday afternoon. 

Eight of the nine Jays batters registered at least one hit on the day as they scored four or more runs in two innings and for the fifth time in four games as they got to Orioles starter Bud Norris (0-1) early.

Jose Bautista led the way for Toronto, going 3-for-3 with four runs and two RBI before leaving the game in the sixth with cramps in his right calf. Mark Buehrle (1-0) got some run support early and did enough to ensure he picked up his 200th career win. The 36-year-old went six innings, allowing eight hits and just two earned runs.

A big first inning paved the way for the Jays. After Jose Reyes and Dalton Pompey got on base to open the game, Bautista drove in the game’s first run. Edwin Encarnacion followed that up with a sacrifice fly to bring home Pompey. Backup catch Dioner Navarro doubled in two more runs to give the Jays a healthy 4-0 lead.

Adam Jones got one back for the Orioles in the bottom of the inning with a homer (1) to left field off Buehrle. The centre fielder led the way for Baltimore, going 4-for-4 with two RBI.

The Jays tacked on another run in the third as big-summer-acquisition Josh Donaldson brought home Bautista on a sacrifice fly.

Another big inning in the fourth saw the Jays add five more runs as the bats continued to be on fire. Justin Smoak, Kevin Pillar, and Devon Travis all got on base to load the diamond with zero outs.

That was the end of Bud Norris’ day as he went just three innings, allowing seven hits and eight earned runs.

Reliever Brad Brach didn’t fair much better as he failed to get out of the jam. The rookie Pompey doubled for the second time in the game to score two runs. Bautista tacked on another RBI as he singled home Travis. Donaldson doubled home two more runs to clear the bases as the Jays went ahead 10-1.

Adam Jones added on another run for the Orioles as he brought home Caleb Joseph in the bottom of the fifth, but got thrown out on the relay from left field as he tried to catch the outfield napping.

Navarro added another run for his side on a sacrifice fly, scoring Bautista to make it 11-2.

Reliever Colt Hynes replaced Liam Hendriks for his first appearance of the season and allowed two runs off the bats of Delmon Young and Manny Machado. 

But that’d be as close as the O’s would get as each side added one run apiece to make the final score 12-5.

The teams are right back at it tomorrow evening to play the second of a three game series as Aaron Sanchez takes the mound for the Jays for his first major league start and Ubaldo Jimenez  returns to the Baltimore rotation after struggling in 2014.