Rough outing has Norris searching for answers

TORONTO -- Bud Norris has traditionally been strong against the Blue Jays, but in 2015, the right-hander has struggled.

After winning his first four career decisions against Toronto, Norris has been unable to replicate that success this season. On Tuesday, he tied a career high in giving up nine earned runs -- which included a rough six-run second -- over 2 1/3 innings in the Orioles' 13-6 loss at Rogers Centre.

"A six-run spot -- that hurts everybody," Norris said. "Everybody knows coming into this ballpark it's going to be a high-scoring affair. You try to minimize the damage the best you can."

Nothing seemed to go right in that fateful second, which began with a leadoff homer from Edwin Encarnacion. That was followed by a Dioner Navarro double and two straight walks, which gave the Blue Jays bases loaded with nobody out.

After striking out Kevin Pillar, Ryan Goins had a two-run single. That one stung the most, said Norris.

"The at-bat I want back is the Goins at-bat," Norris said. "That's my chance to really minimize the damage. Definitely costly errors hurt me."

In total, Norris has allowed 17 runs in 5 1/3 innings over two starts against the Blue Jays this season. In his only other start, Norris took a no-decision in a five-inning, five-hit, three-earned-run outing against the Yankees. He's still searching for that first win.

"This is not how I envisioned starting my 2015 season, but this game is all built on failure, and you have to learn from that," he said.