Blue Jays' late-inning collapse allows Orioles to cut wild-card lead to one

TORONTO — That’s September baseball is how Toronto Blue Jays reliever Jason Grilli described the result  Wednesday at the Rogers Centre.

The Blue Jays lost a tough one to the Baltimore Orioles in the second of their three-game series against their division rivals. Toronto entered the ninth inning with a 2-1 lead, but closer Roberto Osuna gave up a two-run homer to Hyun Soo Kim to give the O’s the 3-2 comeback victory.

Entering the game, the Blue Jays were looking to inch one step closer to clinching a playoff berth — their second in as many years — against the Orioles, their closest pursuers in the race for the top American League wild-card spot. Before the game, Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said he doesn’t concern himself with the mathematical possibilities of clinching.

"I can't get caught up in that. We're getting close. There's different things — who can do what. But I'm sure somebody will come tell me when they juggle the numbers that 'Hey, this is the night,'" Gibbons told reporters before the game.

The Blue Jays had the chance to lower their magic number down to one had they won on Wednesday. But as it stands now, the Orioles sit just one game back of Toronto for home-field advantage during the wild-card game with the series finale between these two teams going on Thursday. It is, or it feels very much like, a must-win game for either team.

“Well I told you guys all along since I’ve been with this group that’s what they do, they’re resilient,” Gibbons said about how his team might respond after the disheartening loss. “Two teams, a lot at stake – they came up with the big blow.”

Perhaps more concerning than the loss is the recent struggles that have impacted the Toronto bullpen. In what had been a strength for the Blue Jays for the latter half of the season, the bullpen has become a question mark of late. Joaquin Benoit remains out with a calf tear, suffered after he tripped leaving the bullpen to join an on-field brawl with the New York Yankees on Monday night

Eighth-inning man Jason Grilli has struggled in his last three outings, including Wednesday when he allowed a solo home run to Mark Trumbo in the eighth inning, which narrowed the Blue Jays lead to 2-1. Osuna, too,  hasn’t looked as sharp lately. But the 21-year-old closer said he’s still feeling good, even after blowing the save.

“I think we’re going to be fine,” he told reporters through Blue Jays translator Josue Peley. “We’re playing against the best teams in the major leagues in our division and stuff like today, I mean, it's supposed to happen sometimes. But I’m not worried at all. I think we’re going to be in good position for the next four games.”

The 39-year-old veteran Grilli said despite losing Benoit and recent tough outings, the morale in the bullpen hasn’t suffered.

“It’s not fun to lose a teammate no matter who it is. But our morale is good,” he said. “This is what September baseball’s like, right? I mean if you see any of these other games, they’re pretty similar.”

On the bright side, the Blue Jays starters have been strong of late, including Francisco Liriano who delivered another stellar performance again on this night. The 32-year-old left-hander went six and a third inning, striking out 10 batters, while giving up six hits, but allowing no runs. It’s the second straight start where Liriano’s held the opposition scoreless, and it’s the seventh straight game a Blue Jays starter has allowed one earned run or less.

“You look back, his last few starts, I mean he’s on a roll. He still has a great arm and he got a lot of strikeouts, his fastball is going both ways, but he’s keeping it in the zone,” said Gibbons about Lirirano. “He doesn’t fall behind, he’s getting some big outs. He’s got that great slider, strikeout pitch and he’s throwing a pretty damn good changeup too. He’s got it all working right now.”

With just four games left on the schedule, the Blue Jays are in the midst of the final grind of baseball’s grueling regular season. Barring an epic collapse, they should have that extended into the post-season. Two wins, and they’re in. Just as it is always is, the Blue Jays will get another chance at the Orioles tomorrow — and another chance to lower that magic number to one.

“There’s a lot that goes into this and this is the time when it’s the hardest, you dig down deep and you go on pure adrenaline, pure guts, you try to make pitches. You try to give your all and that’s what’s happening. We’re doing that; the effort hasn’t changed,” Grilli said.