MLB NEWS

Orioles wrap up AL East with win over Blue Jays

The Sports Xchange

September 16, 2014 at 10:28 pm.

BALTIMORE — Steve Pearce and Jimmy Paredes both homered early, and Alejandro De Aza added a three-run triple that broke the game open later as the Baltimore Orioles wrapped up their first American League East division title in 17 years with an 8-2 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday night.

The Orioles (91-60) eliminated Toronto (77-73) with the victory, the first time they’ve clinched a division title with a win at home since 1969. Baltimore last won a division title in 1997 and didn’t make it back to the playoffs until 2012 (wild card).

Starter Ubaldo Jimenez (5-9) earned the victory, his first since Aug. 9, in a delicious bit of baseball irony. The right-hander’s been ineffective most of this season and was demoted to the bullpen last month but managed to last five innings after a very shaky start.

Jimenez needed 60 pitches to get through the first two innings, giving up two runs on two hits with four walks. The right-hander then settled down and retired the final 10 batters he faced and just gave up those two runs and two hits on a total of 97 pitches.

Toronto starter Drew Hutchison (10-12) had given up only three runs in 27 2/3 innings in four starts against Baltimore this season. This time, though, the Orioles touched him up for Pearce’s three-run homer in the first and the Paredes shot leading off the second for a quick 4-2 lead.

Hutchison struck out 11 overall and gave up six runs on five hits in 6 1/3 innings. The Orioles didn’t get a hit after the Paredes homer until the seventh, when they took command with De Aza’s three-run triple off left-hander Aaron Loup.

The Baltimore bullpen finished the job after Jimenez left with four pitchers combining to throw four shutout innings and lock up the title. Toronto finished with just four hits.

The Blue Jays took a 1-0 lead in the first inning for the second consecutive night. Designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion’s RBI double put Toronto on top.

Baltimore quickly bounced back when Pearce hit a three-run homer. Pearce sent an 0-1 pitch from Hutchison just over the wall in center with two outs to put the Orioles in front 3-1.

Toronto took advantage of Jimenez’s early control problems to score again in the second. Second baseman Munenori Kawasaki walked with one out, stole second and later scored on a single from shortstop Jose Reyes.

That cut Baltimore’s lead to 3-2, but the Orioles again came right back when third baseman Jimmy Paredes led off the second with a homer. Baltimore nearly got one more solo shot in that inning, but Toronto center fielder Anthony Gose robbed catcher Nick Hundley with a leaping catch at the wall.

NOTES: Orioles RF Nick Markakis and Blue Jays RHP Todd Redmond are nominees for the Roberto Clemente Award, which honors players for sportsmanship and community involvement. … 3B Manny Machado is scheduled to fly into Baltimore on Wednesday night, and he could rejoin the Orioles on Friday. He is out for the season after recent right knee surgery. … RHP Marcus Stroman’s pitch behind the head of Baltimore C Caleb Joseph in Monday’s game is being investigated by Major League Baseball, but according to reports, no discipline will be issued. … Blue Jays INF Steve Tolleson was available for Tuesday’s game after getting hit on the arm by a foul ball while sitting in the dugout Monday.