That's a wrap: O's fall in 2021 season finale

It got lopsided early. And while the Orioles' season began with a bang when they swept Boston at Fenway Park in April, it didn't end that way.

The Toronto Blue Jays, in a game they had to have, blew out the Orioles 12-4 today to complete a three-game sweep that ends the Orioles' 2021 season.

They finished 52-110 and with the second-most losses in club history, behind only the 115-loss 2018 Orioles.

Arizona was tied late in its game today. A Diamondbacks win and the Orioles and Arizona would tie for the No. 1 draft pick next year. The clubs had the same record last year but the Orioles would get the No. 1 pick in 2022, having the worse record in 2019. Should Arizona lose, they finish 51-111 and would pick No. 1 next July with the Orioles picking No. 2.

In 2021 the Orioles were:

* 27-54 at home.
* 25-56 on the road.
* 14-44 in day games.
* 38-66 at night.
* 32-40 when scoring first.
* 20-70 when their opponent scored first.
* 11-20 since Sept. 1.
* 13-24 in one-run games.
* 7-74 when scoring three runs or fewer.
* 20-56 versus the American League East.
* 8-11 against the New York Yankees, 6-13 against Boston, 5-14 versus Toronto and 1-18 against Tampa Bay.

Toronto, which homered five times Saturday in a 10-1 win, hit three in the first three innings today. They scored three runs in the first inning and knocked O's lefty Bruce Zimmermann out of the game. He allowed five hits and three runs in 2/3 of an inning to finish his year, going 4-5 with an ERA of 5.04.

The three O's starters in this series - Thomas Eshelman, John Means and Zimmermann - combined to allow 15 hits and 12 runs (11 earned) in 6 1/3 innings and gave up five home runs.

George Springer, Toronto's leadoff hitter, led off the last of the first with his 21st homer and hit a grand slam in the third for No. 22 as Toronto led 9-1 after three innings.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a two-run shot off Marcos Diplán in the second for No. 48. That is the most homers ever for a player age 22 or younger, breaking the tie he held with Eddie Mathews, who hit 47 in 1953.

Earlier this week, Orioles pitching allowed just 10 runs in three games against Boston, winning two of three. This weekend they gave up 11 homers against Toronto batters.

They were outscored 28-9 this weekend as the Blue Jays improved to 91-71.

Tyler Nevin's first career homer scored the O's first run in the top of the third, and it was a blast off lefty Hyun Jin Ryu. He hit an 0-1 cutter 442 feet into the left-field stands.

The O's season is complete.

Next up: the offseason, Winter Meetings and more. Spring training begins when pitchers and catchers report to Ed Smith Stadium on Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022. Next season starts on March 31, when the Orioles host this same Toronto squad at Oriole Park.