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 The starting time was moved from 7:05 to 12:05 p.m. because of
concerns about the impending storm (Hurricane Joaquin) that is
starting to affect the East Coast. Still, the rains came, got harder
throughout the first inning, and a three-hour, 25-minute delay
ensued after the inning ended.
But the Orioles (78-81) were able to get past all that and at least
keep alive the possibility of a .500 season with their second
straight victory.
Machado hit a two-run homer in the first inning and added a solo
shot in the sixth, finishing 3-for-4 with the two homers and three
RBIs.
Machado also stole two bases in the fourth to became just the second
Orioles to hit 30 homers and steal 20 bases in a season. Brady
Anderson is the other, and he last did it 16 years ago.
The Blue Jays (92-67) have lost two straight since clinching the
American League East title in the opener of Wednesday's
doubleheader.
Toronto manager John Gibbons again rested almost all of his regular
players even though the Jays' lead is now just one-half game lead
over the Kansas City Royals, pending their game with the Chicago
White Sox, in the battle for the top record in the American League
and home-field advantage in the playoffs.
The Jays hold the tiebreaker with the Royals, and Gibbons is
expected to bring back his players on Friday in Tampa Bay.
Right-hander Tyler Wilson started for the Orioles but lasted just
one inning because of the rain. Left-hander T.J. McFarland (1-2) got
the win after replacing Wilson following the restart and giving up
one run in four innings.
Left-hander Zach Britton closed it in the ninth for his 35th save.
That was his first save since Sept. 19 after battling problems with
a sore left lat muscle.
Machado's two-run homer and first baseman Steve Pearce's RBI double
off Toronto starter Drew Hutchison (13-5) gave Baltimore a 3-0 lead
in the first inning.
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After the delay, Paul Janish's RBI single off left-hander Jeff
Francis gave the Orioles a 4-0 lead. Janish came on after Jonathan
Schoop left after the long delay. The second baseman had suffered a
right-hand contusion when Hutchison hit him with a pitch in the
first.
The Jays got on the board when third baseman Munenori Kawasaki had
an RBI groundout in the fourth. Center fielder Nolan Reimold's RBI
single and the second Machado homer pushed the Baltimore lead back
to 6-1.
Toronto added three runs in the seventh, with the big hit being
right fielder Ezequiel Carrera's two-run double that sliced the
Orioles' lead to 6-4. But Baltimore held on after that.
NOTES: 3B Manny Machado's two-home run effort was the fourth time he
has hit more than one in a game this season. It was the sixth time
he has done it in his career. ... Orioles LHP Brian Matusz will have
a minor surgical procedure on his non-throwing shoulder after the
season. The team has said the problem did not affect Matusz this
year. ... Blue Jays LHP David Price now apparently won't start again
until Game 1 of the ALDS. He was supposed to start Thursday, but the
Blue Jays pushed him back after clinching the title on Wednesday.
... Toronto SS Troy Tulowitzki now appears to be moving closer to a
return this weekend against Tampa Bay in the season's final series.
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
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