Orioles 2 - 4 Blue Jays
Final
  for this game

Orioles try to build momentum against Jays

Sep 27, 2014 - 2:28 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - At some point, creating momentum becomes an issue for the playoff-bound Baltimore Orioles.

The champions of the American League East will attempt to put together a successful final pre-postseason weekend beginning Saturday night, when they visit Rogers Centre for game two of a three-game set with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Baltimore enters having lost two straight games and will try to avoid a first three-game skid in more than a month, even though it clinched the playoff berth by securing the East title 11 days ago.

The Orioles fell short of having the best record in the AL, however, when Friday's loss in the series opener guaranteed that status to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Baltimore will begin the playoffs on Thursday against whichever team -- Detroit or Kansas City -- wins the AL Central.

"It's something we were trying to attain," manager Buck Showalter said. "In order to do it, you have to have cooperation from (Los Angeles) and the team they're playing."

Lefty Wei-Yin Chen gets the start for the Orioles in advance of what's penciled in to be a start in game two of the playoffs.

He's 4-1 in his last eight starts with a 2.68 earned run average, though he allowed four runs in six innings of a 5-0 loss to the New York Yankees in his last start on Monday.

He's allowed a .366 batting average in three career meetings with Toronto and has split two starts this season against the Blue Jays with a 5.06 ERA.

In its last three games in Toronto, Baltimore has scored five runs.

The Blue Jays are guaranteed a better-than-.500 finish for the first time in four years.

Lefty J.A. Happ wraps up his season on the mound for Toronto amid a stretch that's seen him go at least six innings in six straight starts and allow three or fewer runs four times in those six games.

He gave up two runs in seven innings on Monday while defeating Seattle, 14-4.

"It feels good to go out and get deeper in the game, accomplish some of the goals that I kind of felt I could do," he said.

He's 1-3 against the Orioles in six starts, with a 2.92 ERA.

On Friday, Dalton Pompey and Munenori Kawasaki each drove in a pair of runs as Toronto doubled up Baltimore, 4-2.

Pompey finished 3-for-4 with two triples and two runs scored for the Blue Jays, who received two hits and a run scored each from Edwin Encarnacion and Adam Lind.

Drew Hutchison (11-13) gave up five hits and two runs while fanning eight over five innings. Marcus Stroman earned his first career save by tossing the remaining four scoreless frames during which he allowed one hit and struck out four.

Delmon Young and David Lough knocked in a run apiece for the Orioles.

Chris Tillman (13-6) was tagged for 11 hits and four runs over his six-inning stint.






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