O's top Jays and match last year's win total

By Steve Melewski

Orioles

August 25, 2012, 5:53pm

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Unless the Orioles go 0-36 the rest of the way, they will top last year's win total. The Orioles beat Toronto 8-2 in front of 25,082 at Camden Yards tonight to improve to 69-57. Last year's team went 69-93. Steve Johnson gave up a two-run homer in the first to Edwin Encarnacion, but no runs after that as he improved to 2-0 in his two big league starts. Johnson gave up four hits over six innings with two walks and seven strikeouts, and now has an ERA of 3.18. In his two Orioles starts, he has pitched 12 innings, allowing nine hits and four runs with four walks and 16 strikeouts. After falling behind 2-0 in the first, the Orioles scored eight unanswered runs. J.J Hardy had a single, double and two-run homer in five at-bats. Adam Jones added a two-run single, Matt Wieters had two RBIs and Manny Machado snapped a 2-for-20 stretch with two hits including an RBI single. Toronto has now lost seven in a row and 10 of its last 11. The Blue Jays have dropped six straight series, going 3-15 in that time. The Orioles improved to 24-17 since the All-Star break, 34-29 at home, 7-4 against Toronto and 26-20 vs. the AL East. The Orioles, winners of eight of 12, 14 of 20 and 23 of their last 36 games, go for a three-game sweep on Sunday at 1:35 p.m. at Camden Yards.