Greene, Jays Rally Past O's

Willie Greene hit a go-ahead, two-run single in the eighth as the Toronto Blue Jays overcame a six-run, sixth inning deficit Thursday to beat the Baltimore Orioles 8-6.

Baltimore has lost eight in a row following a stretch in which the Orioles won 11 of 12. Toronto has beaten the Orioles 11 straight times at SkyDome since last June 12.

Greene went 4-for-5, matching his career high for hits. His single off Mike Timlin (3-7) put Toronto ahead 7-6, but Greene appeared to hurt a knee during a rundown between first and second and was helped off the field.

John Frascatore (3-0) got two outs for the win as Toronto completed a three-game sweep, and Billy Koch pitched a one-hit ninth for his 10th save.

Harold Baines hit a two-run homer and drove in three runs for Baltimore, raising his RBIs total to 1,537 and tying Joe DiMaggio for 33rd on the career list. Jerry Hairston Jr. hit his first major league home run for the Orioles.

Cal Ripken, whose record streak of 2,632 consecutive games played ended last September, was given the day off.

Scott Erickson, off to a 3-8 start, was staked to a 6-0 lead, then allowed a three-run homer to the sixth to Carlos Delgado.

Toronto went ahead with a five-run eighth. Doug Johns hit Darrin Fletcher with a pitch, Tony Batista singled, Ricky Bones walked Jacob Brumfield and Homer Bush hit an RBI single off Timlin.

Shannon Stewart followed with a run-scoring grounder, and Greene's single put Toronto ahead. After the rundown, Shawn Green followed with his 21st homer.

Baltimore took its lead off Joey Hamilton, who allowed seven hits and four walks in six innings.

Baines had an RBI single in the first, and the Orioles got a pair in the third on B.J. Shurhoff's RBI single and Belle's run-scoring double play grounder.

Hairston homered in the fourth, and Baines hit his 16th homer in the fifth.

Notes: