Jordan Romano serves up walk-off homer as Jays suffer loss to Orioles

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Blue Jays starter Yusei Kikuchi brought the heat while Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had a heated moment following a called third strike that nearly got him tossed had manager John Schneider not interjected.

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Baseball’s regular season has yet to heat up, a time normally reserved for pennant runs and playoff posturing.

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Heck, the Jays find themselves in the AL East basement.

Still, their stay in Baltimore — which featured the second game of a three-game series being called because of rain — did have a different feel, the kind of feel that makes one pine for the playoffs.

Daulton Varsho stole the show in Monday’s series opener when he prevented a homer, hit a homer and then knocked in the winning run in the 10th inning.

As good as Monday’s game was, Wednesday’s series finale was even been better on multiple levels because it featured everything baseball has to offer, including the misery of losing and the exhilaration of victory.

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Tough losses have characterized the Jays, but none was as tough in watching Adley Rutschman taking Jordan Romano deep for a walk-off homer that gave Baltimore its 3-2 win on what was Rutschman’s third long ball of the series.

The Jays had more than their share of chances, but their maligned and measly offence once again abandoned them.

Five hits would be recorded, including two by Bo Bichette, who drove in both runs.

Toronto’s pitching was very good — elite, in fact — until Romano, whose ninth inning began with a weird bounce that placed the leadoff runner at first on an infield hit.

On Monday, Rutschman went yard on solo blasts. A solo shot Wednesday would only have tied the game.

The game had so many twists and turns, tension and drama, capped off by the walk-off blast.

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Kikuchi showed his athletic side in making a bareheaded catch before stepping on the bag at first base for the out.

It continued with a stellar Zach Popp, who came in relief — surprisingly, it must be added — when Schneider pulled Kikuchi with one out in the fifth inning.

It would follow with Yimi Garcia keeping the O’s scoreless despite the bases being loaded. Tim Mayza followed suit before Romano gave it all away.

SIX-CESS

Bichette’s bat became a predictable topic of conversation when he struggled, seemingly looking lost at the plate and even getting tossed for the first time in his career on a called third strike when the Jays recently were in Washington.

His track record is pretty indisputable.

In other words, it only was a matter of time before Bichette began to find his groove.

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When he led off the second inning with a hit, Bichette extended his streak to six games.

Having recorded a season-high three hits in Monday’s series opener, Bichette banged out his second hit in successive at-bats against O’s starter Kyle Bradish.

This one cashed in two runs when Bichette went the opposite field on a two-out double, his sixth of the season, in the top of the third inning to give the Jays a 2-1 lead.

In his previous 17 games heading into Wednesday, Bichette had driven in three combined runs.

BY GEORGE, HE’S BACK

At no point has Toronto’s order featured Davis Schneider at leadoff with George Springer being available.

Springer was one of a handful of players feeling under the weather Monday, paving the way for Schneider to leadoff.

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Springer returned to the lineup Wednesday and was back to his familiar role at leadoff at a time when he should be moved down in the order based on how little he has produced.

After leading off the game with a groundout, Springer stepped up to the plate with one out in the third inning.

His 10-pitch at-bat saw him foul off four two-strike pitches.

Springer then caught a much-needed break when a soft liner hit the top of the bag at third base that resulted in a double, his first extra-base hit since April 29.

Schneider stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded in the fifth inning with two outs. The count went full and, after fouling off a pitch, Schneider flew out to left field on a soft liner.

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CHRIS CROSSED

Had the rain not reigned supreme Tuesday in Baltimore, Chris Bassitt would have started for the Blue Jays in what should have been the second game of a three-game set.

Instead, the game was postponed, to be made up as part of a traditional doubleheader on July 29.

The Jays could have elected to start Bassitt on Wednesday, but decided to keep Kikuchi on turn.

As a result, Bassitt is scheduled to take the bump Friday when Tampa visits Rogers Centre.

It should be pointed out that Bassitt has not fared that well in Baltimore, yielding five home runs in three starts.

The O’s are also a lefty-centric lineup so, in theory, Kikuchi seemed like a logical choice.

As that sage Mike Tyson once opined: “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.”

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One batter into Kikuchi’s outing and he was taken deep by Jordan Westburg, who went the opposite field in recording his seventh long ball of the season.

Gunnar Henderson, a switch hitter, was at the top of Baltimore’s order when the series began with Jose Berrios on the mound for the Jays.

Berrios gave up two home runs, solo shots off the bat of Rutschman, who hit second in Wednesday’s order.

Kikuchi struck out Rutschman and then struck out Ryan Mountcastle. Following a two-out walk to Henderson, Jays pitching coach Pete Walker made a mound visit.

As for Bassitt, he’ll pitch on an evening dubbed “Country Night.”

Adding to Friday’s occasion is the start coincides with “Hound on the Mound’’ bobblehead giveaway night.

Bassitt previously pitched on May 8, when he gave up three hits over 6.1 innings in earning the win in Philadelphia.

When the Jays opened the season with a four-game stay in Tampa, Bassitt yielded five runs (four earned) in five innings when the Rays beat the Jays.

fzicarelli@postmedia.com

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