|
 They showed it by routing their division rivals to move to a
season-high 16 games over .500.
The Orioles clubbed three home runs to power past the Blue Jays 9-3
in the opener of a pivotal three-game set at Rogers Centre on
Tuesday.
"A big statement game for us here in the first game of the series,"
said Orioles right-hander Bud Norris, who threw 5 1/3 innings of
two-run ball. "A big win, for sure."
Catcher Caleb Joseph and second baseman Jonathan Schoop hit
back-to-back shots in the fourth -- the fourth time Baltimore has
done so this season -- while first baseman Chris Davis added a solo
blast in the fifth to help the Orioles (64-48) extend their American
League East lead over the second-place Blue Jays (60-54) to five
games.
The five games represent the most the Blue Jays have trailed in the
division this season.
"We are going to do everything we can to come out and create some
space," said Joseph, who homered for the third consecutive game. "We
have guys behind us that are coming after us hard. These are the
types of games that we can gain ground.
"They are a good team, they are going to score runs and they are
right behind us, so to get the first win is big."
The three homers upped Baltimore's total to 136 on the season,
moving past Toronto for the most in baseball.
Davis, shortstop J.J. Hardy and left fielder Nelson Cruz each drove
in two runs and increased the Orioles' major league-best winning
percentage when scoring first to .815 (44-10).
Norris (9-7) struck out six in the Orioles' 34th road win, the most
in the AL. He tweaked his ankle early on, but plugged through and
his only blemish was a two-run homer served up to designated hitter
Colby Rasmus in the fourth inning. Rasmus' homer was his 15th of the
season and cut Baltimore's lead to 4-2, but Toronto never got any
closer.
The victory was the Orioles' third straight and improved the club's
record to 22-9 since June 30.
"It's big," Davis said of the win. "These next two months, we are
playing for the postseason."
Toronto, kicking off a six-game homestand in front of a crowd of
36,183, dropped its fourth straight contest. It marked the first
time the Blue Jays have lost four games in a row since losing five
straight from July 3-7.
The Blue Jays, who trailed all game, loaded the bases with no outs
in the seventh, down four runs, but could only cash in one run -- on
a sacrifice fly by right fielder Jose Bautista. Right-hander Tommy
Hunter promptly got catcher Dioner Navarro to hit into an
inning-ending double play.
[to top of second column] |
"That was huge," said Davis, whose fifth-inning homer off right-hander
Aaron Sanchez was his 18th of the season and 20th against Toronto since
2012, the most by any player vs. the Blue Jays over that span. "They had
a couple opportunities to get back in the game, but thankfully our
bullpen was up to the task and minimized the damage. That's what we
expect out of those guys."
Baltimore followed Toronto's seventh-inning rally by scoring three runs
off righty Dustin McGowan in the eighth to put the game further out of
reach.
"We just got beaten around today," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said.
"They came in and outplayed us."
Toronto left-hander Mark Buehrle didn't have his best stuff from the
start and lasted just four innings. Buehrle (11-8) allowed four runs on
10 hits, walked three and struck out three in his second-shortest outing
of the season.
"With us losing today, it doesn't mean our season is over," said
Buehrle. "If somebody thought we were going to come and sweep these guys
you're on some good drugs, that's not going to happen. They're in first
place for a reason."
NOTES: Blue Jays 3B Brett Lawrie, who was activated off the 15-day
disabled list prior to Tuesday's game, left the contest after three
innings due to lower back tightness. The 24-year-old will undergo an MRI
on Wednesday and is considered day-to-day. ... Toronto placed INF Steve
Tolleson on the paternity list, making room for on the active roster for
the return of Lawrie. ... 1B Chris Davis was penciled into the No. 7
spot in the Orioles' lineup, the lowest he hit since September 2012. ...
Orioles RHP Ubaldo Jimenez (sprained right ankle) is scheduled to throw
a bullpen session in Toronto on Wednesday. Jimenez, who hasn't pitched
for Baltimore since July 5, could rejoin the team later in the week. ...
Toronto RHP Drew Hutchison will face Orioles LHP Wei-Yin Chen on
Wednesday.
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |
