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 Steve Pearce drove in four runs with a pair of homers and the
Orioles completed a three-game sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays with a
6-1 victory Wednesday.
Baltimore improved to 6-1 on its final 10-game homestand of the
regular season. The Blue Jays have dropped four consecutive games
and are fading from the Wild Card standings.
Pearce now has 20 home runs on the year -- four more than he hit
over the past seven seasons combined. Designated hitter Nelson Cruz
also had two hits for Baltimore (92-60).
"I don't know what else to say about Stevie," Orioles manager Buck
Showalter said. "I think it's pretty much established what he's done
for us this year."
Pearce said he has just taken advantage of the opportunity to play
every day. He said the goal is to now overtake the Angels for the
best record in the American League and get home-field advantage for
the playoffs.
"You know, I never run out like this," Pearce said. "I never had a
chance to play every single day. I still have to fight to be in the
big leagues. They know I can play. I never had a chance to go out
and put it all together."
Baltimore right-hander Bud Norris (14-8) didn't allow a run over 5
1/3 innings despite a season-high five walks. Norris also gave up
just two hits with four strikeouts to pick up his third win in his
past four outings. He remained unbeaten in six career starts against
Toronto (77-74).
Trailing 4-0, Blue Jays pinch hitter Kevin Pillar and second baseman
Ryan Goins opened the seventh with consecutive doubles off Orioles
left-hander Brian Matusz. However, Toronto managed just one run on a
grounder by shortstop Jose Reyes.
Baltimore answered that same inning on a fielder's choice by third
baseman Jimmy Paredes. Toronto right-hander Aaron Sanchez then threw
high at Pearce, prompting home plate umpire Paul Schrieber to warn
both benches.
"The ball just kind of sailed on me," Sanchez said. "I'm a big
sinker guy and I got a ton of movement on the ball. I had no
intention to go up tight like that. It just sailed on me."
Orioles right fielder David Lough provided a 6-1 lead when he led
off the eighth with his fourth home run of the season off righty
Casey Janssen.
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Toronto left-hander J.A. Happ (10-10) dropped his third straight
game. He allowed five runs (four earned) on eight hits with five
strikeouts over six innings.
Pearce gave the Orioles the lead on a solo shot with two outs in the
third. Two innings later, he hit another three-run homer off Happ to
left, increasing the margin to 4-0.
"They're playing at high level all round," Happ said. "For me, the
three-run homer was just lack of execution. That kind of turned out
to be the difference. It makes me sick. That's the one I want back."
Meanwhile, Norris allowed the leadoff hitter to reach base in four
of the first five innings but still managed to keep Toronto
scoreless.
"The key to the series is being able to to get Pearce out," Toronto
manager John Gibbons said. "He hurt us last night and again tonight.
In a lot of ways, it's a big, big part of the game right there. We
had our chance against Matusz and we couldn't push through and put
some runs on the board. That was the game right there."
NOTES: Toronto RHP Marcus Stroman was suspended six games and
received an undisclosed fine for throwing at Orioles C Caleb Joseph
on Monday. He appealed the ruling. ... The Orioles selected the
contract of INF Christian Walker from Triple-A Norfolk. ...
Baltimore 3B Manny Machado will stay in Los Angeles for at least
another week to continue rehabbing his surgically repaired right
knee.
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
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