BALTIMORE (AP) — Nathan Lukes capped Toronto’s five-run seventh inning with a three-run homer, and the Blue Jays held on for a 9-8 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday to avoid a four-game sweep.
Toronto’s AL East lead was down to four games after dropping the first three of this series against the last-place Orioles. And the Blue Jays fell behind 3-0 early in the finale before rallying.
Bo Bichette delivered a two-run single off Yennier Cano (1-6) to put Toronto ahead 6-5 in the seventh. Three batters later, Lukes came up as a pinch-hitter and connected off Cano.
The Orioles answered with three runs in the bottom of the seventh, but with the bases loaded and one out, Braydon Fisher came on and struck out Cedric Mullins and pinch-hitter Ramon Laureano to preserve a one-run lead.
Seranthony Domínguez pitched a scoreless eighth one day after being traded from the Orioles to Toronto. Then Jeff Hoffman finished for his 25th save in 29 chances.
Myles Straw also homered for Toronto, and Ryan O’Hearn and Jordan Westburg went deep for the Orioles.
Mason Fluharty (4-2) got the win in relief.
Mullins, playing perhaps his final home game for the Orioles with the trade deadline coming up Thursday, reached well over the wall in center field to rob Ali Sanchez of a two-run homer in the sixth. At the time, that kept the Orioles up 5-4.
Baltimore’s Jackson Holliday was retired in the eighth when his dribbler started foul, then kicked back into fair territory while he remained at the plate. First baseman Ernie Clement fielded it for an easy unassisted putout.
Key moment
Fisher got Mullins swinging, then he got the call on a borderline pitch around the outside corner on a 3-2 delivery to Laureano that ended the seventh.
Key stat
Straw and Joey Loperfido had three hits apiece for Toronto.
Up next
Both teams are off Thursday. Toronto hosts Kansas City on Friday, when the Orioles face the Cubs in Chicago.
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