Wieters' homer breaks tie and Machado hits No. 100 as O's top Jays

Right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez gave the Orioles a strong start. Catcher Matt Wieters gave the Orioles a huge homer that produced a lead and a win.

Wieters' two-run shot off Jason Grilli in the bottom of the eighth broke a tie and lifted the Orioles to a 5-3 win over Toronto tonight at Camden Yards. The Orioles improved to 72-60 and moved back within three game of first place. The Orioles had been 3-11 in their last 14 American League East games, but they hit three homers tonight to pick up a big win.

Toronto scored first and took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second. Michael Saunders doubled to right with one out and scored on a bloop, two-out single to center by Kevin Pillar.

When the Orioles batted in the fifth, they had scored just one run in the first 13 innings of this series. But that changed quickly.

With one out, Steve Pearce homered to left off J.A. Happ to tie it 1-1. He hit a 92 mph fastball on a 1-0 pitch. It was his second homer in his last two games and 13th on the season.

After Pedro Alvarez, batting second tonight, drew a walk, Manny Machado hit a 438-foot rocket into the bullpen for a 3-1 lead. It was homer No. 32 on the year for Machado and the 100th of his career. He crushed an 0-1 fastball off Happ to break the 1-1 tie.

Machado became the youngest Oriole ever to reach 100 homers, doing so at 24 years, 55 days. Eddie Murray was the previous youngest at 24 years, 177 days in 1980. Machado is third-fastest by games, reaching 100 in his 578th game. Boog Powell did so in 564 games and Chris Hoiles in 577.

The Orioles' 3-1 lead didn't hold up. Saunders hit a two-run homer to right in the seventh off Jimenez to tie it up. He blasted his 22nd homer 422 feet on a 3-1 pitch. In 13 games season against O's pitching before tonight, Saunders was batting .420 with five homers, 12 RBIs, an .840 slugging percentage and OPS of 1.332.

Jimenez got the Orioles a very solid outing in a no-decision. He went 6 2/3 innings, allowing five hit and three runs. Over his last three starts, he has given up five runs over 17 2/3 innings. Brad Brach replaced him and pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings to gain the win. Zach Britton closed it out for his 39th save in 39 chances.

In the series finale tomorrow night, the Orioles will either move within two games of first or fall four games back. Right-hander Yovani Gallardo (4-6, 5.69 ERA) pitches against right-hander Aaron Sanchez (12-2, 2.99 ERA).