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BALTIMORE -- The Toronto Blue Jays put together a combination of power and pitching that proved too much for the Baltimore Orioles on Monday night. Josh Donaldson and Jose Bautista hit solo homers, and starter Marco Estrada gave up one run over seven-plus innings as the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Baltimore Orioles 5-1.
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This was the opener of a key three-game series in the American League East. First-place Toronto (75-56) now has won four straight and pushed third-place Baltimore (71-60) four games behind with only 31 games remaining.
Boston beat Tampa Bay and sits in second place, two games behind, and Toronto manager John Gibbons said the Jays will be pushing hard in the final month -- especially against the Orioles in this series.
"You try to win every game from here on out," Gibbons said. "We always have battles with these guys. They are slugfests, they are back-and-forths. Very even teams and they are so good here at home. Any time you get that first game of the series you always feel that much better."
Donaldson's 34th homer and fourth in two games tied the game in the fourth while Bautista gave the Blue Jays a 3-1 lead in the sixth with his 16th and first since returning from the disabled list Thursday.
Troy Tulowitzki added an RBI single in the fourth. Justin Smoak did the same in the ninth, and Devon Travis drove in the final run with a groundout later in the ninth.
Estrada (8-6) kept the strong Baltimore offense quiet after he struggled in his last two starts. This time, he allowed just one run on four hits in his seven-plus innings and exited after J.J. Hardy opened the eighth with a single.
The right-hander said he felt much better with his changeup and throwing strikes earlier in the count to jump ahead of the Orioles, and it might have been a key.
"I was able to locate a little better," Estrada said. "I had a little better feel for my change-up today, and I just tried to throw strikes. There's really no easy breaks, one through nine. It's tough."
Joe Biagini came on to finish the eighth while Joaquin Benoit took care of the ninth.
Baltimore starter Wade Miley (8-11) allowed three runs on five hits in seven innings, his longest effort since coming to the team in July. The left-hander struck out nine and retired the side in order in five of the seven innings, but he allowed three runs on five hits in the other two -- specifically the fourth and sixth.
The Orioles could not give Miley much support on offense. Hardy's solo homer in the second was all they scored for the left-hander in their fourth loss in five games.
"(Miley) was good," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "He gave us a real good chance to win the game. We just didn't do much against Estrada.
Hardy's solo homer to left started the third inning. The ball just got past left fielder Melvin Upton Jr.'s leap, into the glove of a fan and made it 1-0.
Donaldson quickly tied it in the top of the fourth with a one-out homer to center after Miley retired the first 10 Toronto hitters. Tulowitzki put the Jays up 2-1 later in the inning with an RBI single.
The Orioles threatened in the fifth, putting runners on first and second with two outs, but Estrada struck out Jonathan Schoop and kept the Jays in the lead.
Hardy said the Orioles realize the position they're in but will keep on fighting.
"I know everyone in this clubhouse knew it wasn't going to be easy, but were not going to give up," Hardy said. "We're going to go out there every single night trying to win, and that's what we've got to do."
NOTES: Orioles RHP Chris Tillman threw off flat ground Monday and did well, according to manager Buck Showalter. Tillman is on the disabled list with right shoulder bursitis retroactive to Aug. 21. Showalter said he'll throw again Wednesday, and if that goes well, the right-hander will start moving "toward the mound." CF Adam Jones (strained hamstring) missed his third straight game with the injury. ...Monday's game was the opener of a nine-game road trip that will take the Blue Jays to Baltimore, Tampa Bay and New York (Yankees) as the season winds down.
