Baltimore beat Toronto 4-2 Wednesday as Jeremiah Jackson's second-inning single off Max Scherzer drove in the go-ahead run and the Orioles never looked back.
Jackson's line drive to center scored Christian Encarnación-Strand to put Baltimore ahead 1-0 in the second, and a second run crossed when Jackson was caught stealing and a rundown play allowed Colton Cowser to score, making it 2-0. Pete Alonso extended the lead to 4-0 in the fifth with his 41st home run of the season, a two-run shot to left center that scored Dylan Beavers. Toronto cut the deficit to 4-2 in the sixth on Brandon Valenzuela's two-run single, aided by a throwing error from Jackson, but that was all the Blue Jays could manage.
Alonso finished 1-for-3 with two RBI, while Andrés Giménez had two doubles to lead Toronto's offense. Scherzer took the loss after allowing four earned runs on four hits in five innings, striking out seven. Chris Bassitt earned the win with five innings of two-run ball, and Andrew Kittredge retired the side in the ninth for the save.
The win moves Baltimore to 77-81 on the season, though the Orioles remain 4.5 games back of the final American League wild-card spot with limited time to close the gap.