Jays fall to 1-8 as Donaldson exits after aggravating calf injury

The pain keeps growing for the Blue Jays.

Beaten 2-1 by Baltimore on Thursday, Toronto lost its sixth straight and eighth in nine outings this season. And the Jays may have lost star third baseman Josh Donaldson, who limped off in the sixth inning after aggravating a chronic calf injury running out an RBI double.

"It's the same calf. We'll have a better idea [Friday]," said manager John Gibbons, whose team sits in the major-league basement.

Blue Jays Josh Donaldson leaves game with right leg injury

8 years ago

Duration 0:49

While hitting an RBI double, Donaldson appeared to aggravate a calf injury that kept him out of most of spring training and Tuesday's home opener

The calf issue shut Donaldson down for most of spring training and forced him out of last Sunday's game in Tampa. The former MVP missed one game, returning as DH to protect the calf — and to get his bat in the lineup.

Donaldson, Troy Tulowitzki and Kendrys Morales have been the lone Jays to threaten at the plate as Toronto (1-8) becomes mired deeper in the worst start in franchise history.

Francisco Liriano (0-1), Joe Biagini and Joe Smith combined for 15 strikeouts while giving up just five hits Thursday but the pitching staff once again got no run support. The Jays have scored three runs or less seven times this season — and have lost five one-run decisions.

About the only thing missing for the league-worst Jays in the first month of the season has been a plague of locusts. Even Hall of Fame pitcher Pedro Martínez commented on Toronto's early struggles.

Toronto went into Thursday's game hitting .190 — worst in the majors — and ranked last in runs scored (23) and tied for last in home runs (4).

"I'm getting opportunities to drive guys in and it just seems like nothing's really going as planned up there at the plate," said catcher Russell Martin, who is 1-for-24 this season.

"Baseball's a grind. Right now, we're in a tough one. Probably one of the toughest ones I've ever been in in my life. But I've never been afraid of a challenge and I'm never going to back down and I'm going to keep working hard. And hopefully things will turn for us."

The last time the Jays were seven games under .500 was June 2, 2015. And the last time the club lost more than five in a row in the month of April was 2008.

Missed opportunity in 9th

Closer Zach Britton made it interesting in the ninth for Baltimore (6-2), putting men on second and third with one after a Tulowitzki single, Martin walk and wild pitch. But Kevin Pillar grounded out to the pitcher, with Tulowitzki staying at third, and pitch-hitter Steve Pearce lined out.

"Yeah, I thought this thing was going to end," manager John Gibbons said of his club's early-season slide. "I really felt that. But we didn't get it done. It'll happen."

Liriano and Baltimore starter Kevin Gausman (1-0) both had fine outings, with Liriano deserving a better fate after bouncing back from a disastrous opening start in Tampa that left his earned-run average at 135.00.

Liriano faltered in the fifth against the bottom of the Baltimore order, giving up two runs on four straight hits to open the inning: three singles and a Jonathan Schoop double.

Beltway loyalty from the O's

A Rogers Centre crowd of 32,957 was clearly keeping an eye on the Maple Leafs' playoff opener in Washington, D.C., with fans reacting to goals 570 kilometres away.

The Orioles thumbed their nose at Toronto via Twitter, wishing the Capitals good luck.