Blue Jays clinch division, split double header with Orioles

[October 01, 2015]  (The Sports Xchange) - The Baltimore Orioles easily won the second game of their doubleheader with Toronto, but the Blue Jays had already clinched the American League East title with victory in the first.

Chris Davis led a four-home run attack with two solo shots, and starter Kevin Gausman shut down Toronto for eight innings as the Orioles scored an 8-1 victory in the late game.

But that had come after Toronto locked up their first American League East title in 22 years with a 15-2 victory in the first game.

"It's the ultimate right now," Toronto manager John Gibbons said. "To be honest, we think we have more ahead of us. It was a big hurdle to get over.

"It had been so damn long but I'm proud of our guys. That's what happens when you throw a lot of talent together, and they get after it every night. Good things happen."

Gibbons gave credit to GM Alex Anthopoulos, who made a number of moves this season to improve the Blue Jays.

He got third baseman Josh Donaldson from the A's and signed catcher Russell Martin in the winter and then brought in players like left-hander David Price, shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and outfielder Ben Revere around the trading deadline.

"We played good baseball," said Price, who is 9-1 since coming over from the Tigers.

"I've done my part and so has everybody else on this team. It's not one person. It's not one trade. It's everybody with one goal in sight, and that's what we've done."

This title means a lot to Martin, who's a Canadian and loved coming back to his home country.

"We're dangerous offensively," Martin said. "We're dangerous on the mound. We play awesome defense. So, I man, if somebody's going to beat us, they're going to have to play tremendously."

Starter Marcus Stroman (4-0) threw eight strong innings in the 15-2 rout of Baltimore in the first game.

"To do it for the city of Toronto, and to do it with these group of guys, it's been a dream come true," Stroman said.

"Everyone's elated. Everyone's ecstatic, happy. It's been a really long time since this city has been to the playoffs."

The second game was scoreless until the Orioles broke it open with a five-run seventh keyed by back-to-back solo homers from designated hitter Davis and third baseman Manny Machado.

Davis' first homer was the 200th of his career. He then got his second homer in the eighth, while catcher Matt Wieters added a two-run shot in that inning.

(Compiled by Greg Stutchbury)

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