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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
BALTIMORE (AP) -- This is how bad things are going for the
Toronto Blue Jays: On a night when their ace pitches a
seven-hitter, they lose anyway.
Brook Fordyce drove in the tiebreaking run with a seventh-inning
sacrifice fly off David Wells as the Baltimore Orioles further
dimmed Toronto's flickering playoff hopes with a 2-1 victory
Tuesday night.
|  | | David Wells' AL-high ninth complete game of the season was for naught. The Blue Jays are one loss or one Yankees win from playoff elimination. |
Although the New York Yankees lost in Tampa Bay, the Blue Jays
will be eliminated from the AL East race with one more loss or if
the first-place Yankees win one more game.
The Blue Jays walked off the field with the Yankees and Tampa
Bay tied 1-1, but they evidently had no interest in the outcome.
The TVs in the Toronto clubhouse were off, and conversation was
minimal.
It was the fourth loss in five games for the Blue Jays, whose
wild-card chances are only mathematically alive.
"It's a big emotional letdown," leadoff hitter Shannon Stewart
said. "We swept New York and then Tampa comes in and wins the
series. To come here and lose the first game is a big emotional
letdown. You go from one high to the ultimate low."
Jose Mercedes (13-7) allowed one run, five hits and four walks
in seven innings to snap a two-game losing streak. The right-hander
is tied with New York's Andy Pettitte for most wins since the
All-Star break (10).
"Jose kept the ball over the plate and changed speeds well
tonight," Orioles manager Mike Hargrove said. "He fell behind
some batters in the first few innings, but kept himself out of jams
as the game moved on."
Buddy Groom worked the eighth and Ryan Kohlmeier got three outs
for his 13th save.
The Blue Jays led 1-0 before Delino DeShields doubled in a run
off Wells (20-7) in the sixth. Baltimore then went ahead in the
seventh.
Melvin Mora reached on a one-out popup that dropped in short
left field. Mora took third on a single by Chris Richard before
Fordyce hit a 3-1 pitch to right, easily scoring Mora.
That proved to be enough offense to beat the struggling Blue
Jays.
"We've scored runs all year long, but we have not been swinging
the bats well and we have not hit the ball," manager Jim Fregosi
said. "We got one (key) hit off Mercedes early. That was it."
After damaging the playoff hopes of the Boston Red Sox by
winning two of three, the fourth-place Orioles continued to play
the spoiler role against the Blue Jays.
"Jim Fregosi is a good, dear friend of mine," Hargrove said.
"I wish him nothing but success, but I want to make it as
difficult on him as I possibly can."
Wells allowed six singles, a double and walked none. He struck
out four in his AL-high ninth complete game of the season, but
derived no satisfaction from the performance.
"I ain't got but one word to say: It's a crying ... shame.
Print it and that's it," he said.
Toronto took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Stewart and
Alex Gonzalez hit successive singles before Darrin Fletcher
delivered a sacrifice fly.
The Blue Jays threatened to add to the margin in the fourth,
loading the bases with one out, but Mercedes struck out Todd Greene
and retired Mickey Morandini on a fly ball.
Baltimore managed only two singles off Wells through the first
five innings before finally breaking through in the sixth. Eugene
Kingsale singled with one out and took third on a hit by Jerry
Hairston, who was thrown out trying for a double. DeShields then
blooped a double to left before Albert Belle struck out.
Belle, who had missed the previous 20 games with an inflammed
right hip, went 0-for-3.
Game notes
Toronto's Carlos Delgado drew two walks, tying Fred
McGriff's franchise record of 117 in a season. ... Mercedes came in
with an 0.62 ERA in three appearances against the Blue Jays this
year. ... The Orioles improved to 29-25 in one-run games. ... Wells
has not walked a batter in his last four games.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Toronto Clubhouse
Baltimore Clubhouse
RECAPS
Baltimore 2
Toronto 1
Cleveland 4
Minnesota 2
Tampa Bay 2
NY Yankees 1
Boston 4
Chi. White Sox 3
Kansas City 7
Detroit 6
Oakland 10
Anaheim 3
Seattle 5
Texas 0
Florida 5
Montreal 4
Pittsburgh 9
Houston 4
Atlanta 7
NY Mets 1
Philadelphia 10
Chicago Cubs 4
Milwaukee 7
Cincinnati 4
Colorado 7
Arizona 6
St. Louis 7
San Diego 1
Los Angeles 9
San Francisco 0
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