Navan, Ont.'s Erik Bedard won the duel of the Canadians yesterday, against Anola, Man.'s Corey Koskie. The Orioles' starter struck out Koskie twice and might have got a first-inning break when he appeared to be straddling first base instead of stepping on it when Koskie flew by at the end of a double play. Koskie, coach Mickey Brantley and manager John Gibbons protested with umpire Sam Holbrook.
"I don't think about (the Canadian connection)," Bedard said. "(Koskie) is a hitter and that's it, it doesn't matter where he's from."
Dave Bush had the crowd buzzing after giving up a lead-off homer to Brian Roberts, considering his career worst short outing in Boston earlier this week, seven runs against in two innings. But he kept the loaded O's offence in check for eight innings.
"The biggest thing I did today was go right after them with the fastball," Bush said. "I've struggled with that with two outs, especially the last time out (against the Red Sox)."
Bush induced Sammy Sosa to ground out four times and the Baltimore slugger has been held to a pair of singles thus far in the series. He's still 24 homers away from 600.
"It's a good lineup all the way around and he strengthens it for sure," Bush said. "You can't pitch around him because they have good hitters on both sides of him. We tried to attack him the same way we've tried to attack the whole middle of the order. They'll all get their hits, but minimize that and we minimize the damage."
HENDRICKS AILING
Longtime O's bullpen coach Elrod Hendricks is recuperating at home after suffering a stroke on April 14 in St. Petersburg, Fla.
BRIEFLY
Roberts' lead-off homer was the first against the Jays this year, just clearing the 328-foot sign in left...Gibbons flipped Koskie from third base to designated hitter exchanging Shea Hillenbrand. After leading the majors in batting average before the series, Hillenbrand has been held to a pair of singles by the O's so far.
