Orioles 8, Blue Jays 1, Game 2
BALTIMORE -- Chris Davis led a four-home run attack with two solo shots, and starter Kevin Gausman shut down Toronto for eight innings as the Baltimore Orioles salvaged a split of Wednesday's doubleheader with an 8-1 victory over the Blue Jays in the nightcap.
The Blue Jays routed the Orioles, 15-2, in the opener, a victory that clinched the American League East for Toronto, the team's first American League East title and playoff berth in 22 years.
This victory stopped Baltimore's five-game losing slide and ended the Blue Jay's six-game winning streak.
Third baseman Manny Machado belted a solo homer -- the front end of a back-to-back spot with Davis that sparked a five-run seventh.
Davis homered again in the eighth, and catcher Matt Wieters hit his 100th homer (a two-run blast) two batters later.
The game was locked in a scoreless tie until Machado led off that seventh with his homer to center off right-hander Ryan Tepera (0-2). That came on an 0-2 pitch and gave the Orioles (77-81) a 1-0 lead.
Davis, serving as the designated hitter in Game 2, followed with career homer No. 200 off Tepera.
Shortstop J.J. Hardy added an RBI single in the seventh followed by left fielder Nolan Reimold's two-run double for the 5-0 lead over Toronto (92-66). Davis and Wieters then added their homers in the eighth off right-hander Steve Delabar.
Gausman did not need much other support on this night because the right-hander was on his game. He gave up one run on five hits and finished with a career-high 10 strikeouts as the Blue Jays used a lineup of mostly back-ups.
The only run he allowed came on second baseman Darwin Barney's solo homer in the eighth.
The Orioles did not fare much better against Toronto starter R.A. Dickey as the veteran knuckleballer breezed through five scoreless innings before manager John Gibbons pulled him.
NOTES: The start time of Thursday's series finale was moved from 7:05 p.m. to 12:05 p.m. because of impending storms headed up the East Coast. ... Orioles RHP Miguel Gonzalez was activated from the disabled list (right shoulder tendinitis) to make his first start since Aug. 30. He will end the season without a win in the final two months. ... The Blue Jays selected the contract of SS Jonathan Diaz before the doubleheader. They made room on their roster by designating RHP Donn Roach for assignment. ... Now that the division is in hand, Toronto manager John Gibbons will give various starters some rest in the coming days even though the Jays want to finish with the best record in the American League.