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OriolesBALTIMORE (AP) — Pete Alonso homered twice, including a two-run shot in the eighth inning that lifted the Baltimore Orioles to a 4-3 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday night.
The Orioles are on the verge of elimination in the American League wild-card race, but Alonso has been terrific in his first season with the team. He has 40 home runs — the fourth time he's reached that mark in a season — and he's opened a nine-RBI lead on Triple Crown hopeful Yordan Alvarez of Houston.
In fact, Alonso might be the one who ends up leading the AL in homers and RBIs. He's one home run behind Tampa Bay slugger Junior Caminero.
The Blue Jays brought in submarine right-hander Tyler Rogers (2-3) to face Alonso, who became just the second right-handed hitter to homer off him over the last two seasons.
Yennier Cano (4-3) won in relief for the Orioles, and Rico Garcia worked a perfect ninth for his 10th save.
Nathan Lukes and George Springer hit RBI singles during Toronto's three-run first inning, but the Blue Jays fell 3 1/2 games behind the idle Chicago White Sox for the final wild card in the AL.
Trey Yesavage returned to the mound for the Blue Jays after knee inflammation sent him to the injured list in early August. He pitched only two innings, allowing a home run to Alonso in the first.
Gunnar Henderson homered in the sixth for the Orioles and finished a double shy of the cycle.
After the start was delayed 47 minutes because of rain, the first four Toronto batters reached base. Shane Baz was called for a pitch-clock violation with the count full to Brett Bateman. Then he issued another walk to Alejandro Kirk on a debatable checked-swing call.
Lukes and Springer followed with hits to make it 2-0. A sacrifice fly by Sean Keys brought home another run.
Baz held Toronto scoreless after that and made it through 6 2/3 innings.
Bateman left the game with a hip injury after making a sliding catch in center field in the second. X-rays were negative.
Blue Jays RHP Max Scherzer (3-8) starts Tuesday night against Chris Bassitt (8-5) of the Orioles.
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