09/25/20 09:32:00
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09/25 21:31 CDT Grichuk, Shaw homer, Pearson returns as Blue Jays beat O's
Grichuk, Shaw homer, Pearson returns as Blue Jays beat O's
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) --- Randal Grichuk and Travis Shaw homered, Nate Pearson
returned from an elbow injury to earn his first major league win and the
playoff-bound Toronto Blue Jays beat the Baltimore Orioles 10-5 Friday night.
Shaw narrowly missed a multihomer game, hitting a double in the seventh that
struck the top of the wall in right field and bounced back into play.
Pearson (1-0) had been sidelined since a game Aug. 18 at Baltimore. He came on
to begin the fourth and struck out the first batter he faced, Austin Hays, on
three pitches.
"It felt really good to be back to myself out there," Pearson said.
The hard-throwing rookie right-hander got five outs on 24 pitches before being
replaced by Shun Yamaguchi. Manager Charlie Montoyo said he wanted Pearson to
have a multi-inning stint.
"He passed that test," Montoyo said. "He came back throwing hard still."
A starter before his injury, Pearson will pitch out of the bullpen in the
playoffs, something he last did in college. The Blue Jays have been without
closer Ken Giles for much of the season because of an elbow injury that will
require surgery.
"I'm excited to watch him for us in the postseason," said right-hander Taijuan
Walker, who opened the game with three perfect innings. "He's going to be one
of those weapons that I think no one really knows about. He's going to come in
and just light up the radar gun and get big outs for us."
Pearson reached 101.5 mph on his strike three pitch to Hays. It was the fastest
pitch by a Blue Jays pitcher since tracking began in 2008, eclipsing a 101.2
mph pitch by Brandon Morrow in 2014.
"It's an electric arm, it's electric stuff," Shaw said of Pearson. "Especially
in short stints out of the bullpen, he can just let it all go. That's going to
be a huge, huge key for us, a big weapon for us to use out of the bullpen."
Toronto clinched its first postseason berth since 2016 by beating the Yankees
4-1 on Thursday. The Blue Jays are assured of at least a wild card and are a
game behind New York for second place in the AL East.
Grichuk hit a leadoff shot off Jorge Lpez in the second, his 11th, and Toronto
scored six runs in the inning, sending 10 batters to the plate.
Toronto chased Lpez and added two more in the third before Shaw connected on a
two-run shot off Tom Eshelman in the fourth.
Lpez (2-2) allowed eight runs and nine hits in two-plus innings, losing for
the second straight start. He's 0-2 with an 11.20 ERA in five games against
Toronto.
"Tonight just wasn't his night," Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. "They hit
him hard, no two ways around it. They beat us with a lot of hits against the
shift that hurt us. He had a tough time staying out of the middle part of the
plate."
Baltimore's Ramn Uras and Cedric Mullins hit back-to-back solo home runs off
Shun Yamaguchi in the fifth, and Jos Iglesias connected off the Japanese
right-hander in the sixth.
Orioles rookie Ryan Mountcastle went 2 for 3 with a walk.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Blue Jays: GM Ross Atkins said INF Rowdy Tellez (knee) is unlikely to be
healthy in time for the opening round of the playoffs. ... RHP Jordan Romano
(strained right middle finger) threw a second bullpen session Friday and
remains in the mix for a postseason roster spot. ... INF Cavan Biggio got the
day off, his first of the season.
Orioles: Renato Nunez (knee) sat for the second straight game but was available
off the bench and is likely to play again before the season ends, manager
Brandon Hyde said.
WINNING SEASON
A 95-loss team in 2019, Toronto's 31st victory assured it will finish with its
first winning record since going 89-73 in 2016.
BIG IN BUFFALO
Toronto is 16-8 at Sahlen Field.
ONE-SIDED BIRD BATTLE
The Orioles have gone 1-7 against the Blue Jays this season.
UP NEXT
Baltimore LHP John Means (2-3, 5.02) faces Blue Jays RHP Matt Shoemaker (0-1,
4.71) on Saturday night. Means is 2-1 with a 2.74 ERA in four September starts.
Shoemaker returned from a sore shoulder to pitch three innings against the
Yankees on Sept. 21.
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