Yusei Kikuchi suffered his first loss of the season Friday, giving up three runs over 4-2/3 innings in the Toronto Blue Jays' 6-2 defeat to the Baltimore Orioles.
Kikuchi (5-1) let Orioles runners reach second in the first two innings without surrendering a run, but there was no escape in the third.
He gave up a single and walk before Ryan Mountcastle hit a low 1-1 four-seam fastball out to center. The Orioles' first baseman homered three times off Kikuchi last season.
"That home run was everything," said Kikuchi, who had just received a one-run lead in the second at Toronto's Rogers Centre. "My breaking balls were hanging and they started sitting fastball."
Orioles right-hander Kyle Gibson (5-3) held the Blue Jays to a run over seven innings to earn the win, while Kikuchi allowed three hits and a season-worst four walks while striking out three.
Kikuchi earned his 99th career major league win in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball and MLB on May 7. The former Seibu Lions ace has now twice failed to get his 100th career victory.
"I'm sure I can switch my mindset and make some adjustments before the next game," said the 31-year-old.
Seiya Suzuki walked, doubled and singled, and scored a run for the Chicago Cubs in their 10-1 win against the Philadelphia Phillies, helping Chicago end its five-game losing skid.
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