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Encarnacion powers Blue Jays over O's

Jul 29, 2011 - 5:27 AM Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - Edwin Encarnacion finished 3-for-4 with a homer, two RBI and two runs scored as Toronto downed Baltimore, 8-5, in the rubber match of a three-game set.

J.P. Arencibia posted a two-run double, while Eric Thames also homered and drove in two for the Blue Jays, who have won three of four.

Carlos Villanueva (6-2) allowed six hits and four runs over just five innings but picked up his first win in five starts.

It also marked the first game in a Blue Jays uniform for outfielder Colby Rasmus, who was acquired from St. Louis on Wednesday. He went 0-for-5 with a pair of strikeouts.

"I think it's clearly an adjustment period for him," Blue Jays manager John Farrell said. "We've just got to give him an opportunity to settle in."

J.J. Hardy added three hits, scored three times and connected on a pair of solo homers for the Orioles, losers in five of their last seven. Adam Jones had two hits and knocked in two runs in the setback.

Brad Bergesen (2-7) was tagged in defeat for six hits and six runs -- four earned -- with three walks in three full frames.

Toronto pulled ahead for good with a four-run third inning. Encarnacion and Thames hit back-to-back two-out solo homers, then Aaron Hill walked and Travis Snider singled ahead of Arencibia's two-run hit for a 6-2 edge.

The O's responded with in the fifth on Jones' two-run single, but Toronto tacked on two more in the home half. With runners on the corners and two down, a Mark Reynolds error plated one run, and after Arencibia drew a walk, Yunel Escobar's RBI single made it 8-4.

Hardy's two-out solo homer to left against Jon Rauch cut the O's deficit to three, but Nick Markakis grounded out to end the game.

Baltimore jumped out to a 2-0 lead when Hardy and Vladimir Guerrero notched solo homers, but Toronto picked up two runs on Encarnacion's bases-loaded walk and a sacrifice fly from Thames in the bottom of the first.

"We started on top, but couldn't maintain it," Jones said. "Sometimes the bounces go your way, sometimes it doesn't. Tonight it didn't go our way."

Game Notes

Toronto has won six of the nine games this year against Baltimore...Snider and Escobar posted two hits for the Jays, as did Guerrero and Jones for the O's...Hardy finished the series 5-for-14 with four home runs, five runs scored and six RBI.