Castillo Homers Twice, Including A Blast in the 9th to Tie Score, and Trumbo Homers and then Drives In Winning Run in 12th Inning as Orioles Come From Behind to Defeat Toronto, 5-4; Wild Card Deficit is 1.5 Games; Yankees Come to Camden Yards Beginning Today

TOWSON, Maryland, Sunday, September 3, 2017 - If ever there was a game in a pennant chase that a baseball team needed to win - if only to prove to everyone, including themselves - to remain a factor in that chase, it was Sunday's series finale in Baltimore between the Blue Jays and the Orioles.  The Orioles came into the series having won seven of their last eight games, but they were still one and one-half games behind the team holding the last playoff berth, those ever-annoying Minnesota Twins.  As I write this on Sunday Night, the Oriole have but 25 games left to play.

Yet, believe it or not, this isn't the whole story.  Toronto is the last place team in the American League East.  A lot of prognosticators thought the Jays would win the East, but they've been terrible right from the start.  Until this time last week, they were at least hanging on to a slim hope of grabbing the same wild card spot the Orioles were aiming at.  But in this last week to ten days, Toronto has pretty much played their way out of contention.  They have only won 3 of their last ten games and, going into today, the Blue Jays were 8 and one-half games behind those Twins.

So the Orioles are desperate for a win.  If they lose they lose the entire home series to the last place team in the middle of the pennant race.  A contending team does not do this.  The game starts.  Before a lot of fans settle into their seats, the Orioles are behind, 3-0.  This cannot be!  It is!  It is 3-0.  

The Orioles do not exactly fight right back. Finally, Wellington Castillo launches a monster shot to left and Baltimore is on the board, but they still trail, 3-1. Mark Trumbo hits a long home run to straightaway center field.  Now, it is Toronto 3, Baltimore 2. Then the Orioles tie it and Toronto unties it.

When Baltimore comes to bat in the bottom of the 9th, they trail, 4-3.  They have never led.

Up steps Wellington Castillo.  And there it goes, it being the ball.  Another Castillo home run and now the game is tied again. Baltimore comes darn close to winning it in the ninth.  After Castillo's solo home run tied the game, they put two runners on base and had clutch-hitting Adam Jones at the plate with two out.  On this day, however, Adam Jones struck out.  On to extra innings in Baltimore, with the bloody score tied, 4-4.  

In the bottom of the 12th - and with the Orioles out-hitting the Blue Jays, 14-6 - the Orioles put two men on with two out, and bring Mark Trumbo to the plate.  As we've noted, he already has hit a home run.  This time, he would drill a line drive into the left field corner.  Former Oriole Steve Pearce is now in left field for the Jays, and he races over and goes into a full dive.  But this ball would not be caught.  It rolls to the wall as the winning run dances home.  The Orioles do win and do at least gain a split.  Here are the Wild Card standings going into Labor Day:

New York Yankees: 73 wins, 63 defeats - +2 games ahead
Minnesota Twins: 71 wins, 65 defeats - even
Baltimore Orioles: 70 wins, 67 defeats - 1.5 games behind
Los Angeles Angels: 70 wins, 67 defeats - 1.5 games behind
Seattle Mariners: 69 wins, 68 defeats - 2.5 games behind 
Texas Rangers: 68 wins, 68 defeats - 3 games behind
Kansas City Royals: 67 wins, 68 defeats - 3.5 games behind
Tampa Bay Rays: 68 wins, 70 defeats - 4 games behind
Toronto Blue Jays: 63 wins, 74 defeats - 8.5 games behind
Detroit Tigers: 58 wins, 78 defeats, 13 games behind
Oakland Athletics: 58 wins, 78 defeats - 13 games behind
Chicago White Sox: 54 wins, 81 defeats - 16.5 games behind

In case you are interested, the Boston Red Sox are 77-60 at the top of the AL East, and 3.5 games ahead of the Yankees and 7 games ahead of the Orioles.  The Red Sox have 25 games left to play.  The Yankees have 26 games left.  The Orioles have 25 left to play.  Toronto begins a series in Boston tonight at 7:10 pm.  The Orioles begin a series at Camden Yards today at 2 pm against the Yankees.  The Angels, who are hopelessly behind the Houston Astros in the AL West, play at Oakland this afternoon.

The team everybody is chasing in the Wild Card Race, the Minnesota Twins, begins a series in Tampa tonight.