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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
BALTIMORE (AP) -- The Baltimore Orioles had only one obstacle in
their quest to complete a four-game sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays:
David Wells.
|  | | David Wells won his 14th game Monday despite allowing nine hits in six innings. |
The 250-pound left-hander proved to be too big a hurdle to
clear.
Wells earned his major league high 14th win and Tony Batista hit
his second grand slam of the season as Toronto salvaged the final
game of the series, beating the Orioles 6-4 Monday.
Carlos Delgado also homered for the Blue Jays, who lost the
first three games of the series by a combined 23-10 score before
rebounding behind their burly ace.
Wells (14-2) wasn't overpowering, but plenty good enough to win
his seventh straight decision on a sticky, 94-degree afternoon. He
allowed two earned runs, nine hits and a walk in six innings.
Wells, who struck out three, improved to 9-0 on the road.
"It was awful hot out there today and Boomer gave us all he had
to get us to the sixth inning," Toronto manager Jim Fregosi said.
"I can't say enough about what he's meant to this team."
Wells knew exactly how important the game was to the Blue Jays,
who won 13 straight against Baltimore before Friday.
"It's always good to leave on a win when you're traveling," he
said. "This team kicked our butt completely. After a while, you
get tired of it."
The victory increased the Blue Jays' lead in the AL East to 1½
games over the second-place New York Yankees.
"We can't lose any ground right now. Every game is crucial,"
Wells said. "We got in a little funk and it was getting
contagious. Somebody's got to go out there and do it."
Long after Wells' work was done, Billy Koch got four outs for
his 18th save in 22 opportunities.
Charles Johnson hit his career-high tying 19th homer for the
Orioles, capping a three-hit performance.
Wells got all the support he needed when Batista hit his third
career grand slam to give the Blue Jays a 5-1 lead in the third
inning. It was Toronto's seventh slam of the season and the sixth
allowed by the Orioles.
"I've got some good backing," Wells said. "I'm doing my part
by keeping the game close and making my pitches. But these guys are
picking me up. It takes teamwork to get where you're at."
Delgado hit his AL-high 28th homer off Jason Johnson (0-7) to
make it 6-2 in the fifth. He went 3-for-3 with two RBI.
Johnson gave up six runs in five innings. He allowed only four
hits, but two were homers and three of his five walks came around
to score.
Johnson has given up at least five runs in each of his last six
starts and walked 11 in his last 11 2/3 innings.
"It's hard. I don't what to do right now," he said. "I know
I'm better than how I've been pitching."
Luis Mercedes pitched four shutout innings of relief, fueling
speculation that he might replace Johnson in the starting rotation.
Asked if he was considering the move, Orioles manager Mike Hargrove
quickly said, "No comment."
The Blue Jays got a run in the first when Johnson walked two and
Delgado hit an RBI single. Baltimore tied it in the second when
Charles Johnson doubled and seldom-used Mark Lewis hit a two-out
RBI single.
Batista gave the Blue Jays the lead for good in the third. After
a single and two walks loaded the bases with one out, Brad Fullmer
hit a short flyball before Batista sent Johnson's first pitch into
the left-field seats, his 23rd homer of the year and third of the
series.
The Orioles got a gift-wrapped run in their half. Raul Mondesi
was charged with a three-base error when he lost B.J. Surhoff's fly
ball to right, and Wells committed a balk when he stopped his
windup after inadvertently knocking the cap off his head.
Will Clark, whose run of three straight games with a home run
ended, hit into a double play with runners at the corners in the
sixth to make it 6-3.
Charles Johnson homered off John Frascatore in the eighth.
Game
notes
Orioles rookie OF Luis Matos got his first major league hit
in the second inning and added a double in the fourth. He also
recorded his first assist, gunning down Mondesi at third base in
the first. ... Mondesi has six errors, tops among Toronto
outfielders, but got an assist on a play at the plate. ... Charles
Johnson batted sixth, the fifth different spot in the lineup he's
occupied this year. ... Brady Anderson went 0-for-3 against Wells
and is 1-for-16 lifetime against him.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Toronto Clubhouse
Baltimore Clubhouse
RECAPS
Toronto 6
Baltimore 4
Detroit 5
Tampa Bay 4
Chi. White Sox 14
Kansas City 10
Boston 11
Minnesota 8
Texas 8
Oakland 3
Seattle 8
Anaheim 6
Chicago Cubs 3
Pittsburgh 0
Cincinnati 3
Arizona 2
Florida 2
NY Mets 0
Montreal 17
Atlanta 1
Philadelphia 5
Milwaukee 3
Colorado 3
San Diego 1
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