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The Baltimore Orioles are one win away from clinching the American League East thanks to their 5-2 win over the second place Toronto Blue Jays Monday night. Orioles’ lefty Wei-Yin Chen picked up his 16th win after going five and a third innings, allowing two runs on nine hits and six strikeouts. With Chen’s 16th victory, he moved into a second place tie with the former Cy Young winner Max Scherzer, and trails Angels’ veteran Jared Weaver by one. Blue Jays’ youngster Marcus Stroman was hit with his sixth loss on the year after allowing five-runs on nine-hits in five innings of work.
The Jays got on the board early in the game as Edwin Encarnacion singled to left bringing in Jose Reyes to make it 1-0. Toronto had the opportunity to add on to their lead in the first with runners on first and third with no outs, but were unable to capitalize. Chen struck out the following two batters in Danny Valencia and Dioner Navarro, and got some great defensive help by right fielder Nick Markakis, who made a beautiful diving catch on a John Mayberry blooper to escape the jam.
The O’s did not take long to bounce back from the 1-0 deficit, putting up two runs in the first to take the lead. After Markakis singled to lead off the inning, Alejandro De Aza doubled to left, which set up the infield single by Adam Jones. It was a bit of bad luck for Stroman, as he threw a beautiful breaking ball down and away, but Jones was able to get just enough wood on the ball to prevent a play at any base. Slugger Nelson Cruz followed with a RBI of his own while grounding into a double play the next. The Orioles added on to their lead with a RBI single by Cruz in the third and a moon shot two-run homer to right by Ryan Flaherty to give the Orioles a three-run cushion.
Things started to get a little heated in the fifth, following a RBI single by the Valencia, which scored Reyes to bring the Jays within three. De Aza tried to throw out Reyes at the plate, but his throw was too late and Reyes was safe. Reyes seemed to think catcher Caleb Joseph was blocking the plate and had some words for home plate umpire Ted Barrett. In the bottom of the sixth, with Joseph then at the plate, Stroman sent a fastball whistling right past the rookie’s head. Both benches were warned following the pitch and Joseph would eventually go down swinging for the final out of the inning.
On Stroman’s walk back to the dugout, the 23-year-old turned and had a few words for the Orioles bench, causing some of the O’s players to lean out over the railing. Even Baltimore’s manager Buck Showalter was annoyed with Stroman, as he was flicking his hand as if to brush Marcus off the field. Following the event, Ted Barrett heard from an angry Buck Showalter about the classless act of the Jays’ pitcher. After the game, Buck claimed he understood why the warning was issued, but did not understand what the Blue Jays were mad about.
Many in the Orioles’ organization did not like the pitch by Stroman. MASN broadcaster Jim Palmer called the play “Gutless” and Buck Showalter said it was “professionally embarrassing.” Whatever the case, the Orioles will have a chance to get back at the Jays tonight when they go for the AL East Crown with a win.
Benched starter Ubaldo Jimenez will get the spot start for the O’s, and he will be looking to shed some light on his disappointing first year with Baltimore. His 4-9 record with a 4.96 ERA is far from what the Orioles expected after signing the free-agent in the offseason for $50 million. His last appearance came in a relief role back on August 31, where he gave up three runs on one hit and three walks against the Twins. It is obvious that the key for Jimenez will be to limit the walks and get ahead of the powerful 2-5 hitters of the Jays.
Opposite of Jimenez will be Drew Hutchison of the Blue Jays. Drew is coming off a great start against the Cubs, in which he allowed one run on four hits while striking out ten. In four starts against the O’s this year, Hutchison has been lights out, allowing only three runs in 27 and two-thirds innings. Jimenez, on the other hand, has a dismal 5.56 ERA against Toronto this year, with seven-walks and 13-hits in just over 11-innings.
A.J. Risser is a MLB Writer for Couch Rider Report. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook.
