George Springer hit a grand slam and a solo home run and the Toronto Blue Jays completed a three-game sweep of the visiting Baltimore Orioles with a 12-4 victory on Sunday but fell one game shy in their American League wild-card pursuit.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a two-run home run for the Blue Jays, giving him 48 for the season. It gives him the most home runs for a player 22 or younger, surpassing the 47 by Eddie Mathews of the Milwaukee Braves in 1953). Guerrero also tied for the American League lead in home runs with Kansas City’s Salvador Perez, and it was his 12th of the season against Baltimore.
Marcus Semien added his 45th homer of the season for Toronto (91-71), which was eliminated when Boston and the New York Yankees each won their games to claim the AL wild-card spots.
Tyler Nevin hit his first career major league home run for Baltimore (52-110). The Orioles outhit the Blue Jays 13-12.
The Blue Jays (91-71) won the season series 14-5.
Toronto starter Hyun Jin Ryu (14-10) allowed two runs, six hits and one walk while striking out seven in five innings.
Orioles starter Bruce Zimmermann (4-5) didn’t survive the first inning. Springer led off against him with his 21st homer of the season. Semien hit an infield single to shortstop and took third on Bo Bichette’s bloop single. Teoscar Hernandez and Santiago Espinal drove in runs with singles and ended Zimmermann’s day in favor of Marcos Diplan.
In two-thirds of an inning, Zimmermann allowed three runs on five hits with no walks and one strikeout.
In the second inning, Springer walked and Guerrero homered to right against Diplan.
Toronto loaded the bases in the third against right-hander Eric Hanhold on a single, a walk and a hit batter before Springer launched his grand slam.
Guerrero walked to open the fourth against Joey Krehbiel and took third on Bichette’s double. Hernandez then hit a two-run single.
The Orioles scored in the fifth on two singles and a throwing error by second baseman Semien on a double play attempt on Ryan Mountcastle’s fielder’s choice grounder to shortstop.
Semien hit a solo home run against Krehbiel in the bottom of the fifth.
Dillon Tate was perfect in the sixth and seventh for Baltimore.
Toronto’s Nate Pearson survived a walk and a single in the sixth.
Baltimore scored once against Julian Merryweather in the seventh on a hit batter, a single and Pedro Severino’s sacrifice fly.
Austin Hays had an RBI single against Jacob Barnes in the top of the eighth.
Adam Cimber worked around a single in the ninth to close out the win.
–Field Level Media