Blue Jays need 11 to oust O’s

Associated Press

TORONTO

Edwin Encarnacion hit a three-run homer in the 11th inning off Ubaldo Jimenez, and Toronto Blue Jays beat the Baltimore Orioles 5-2 in Tuesday night’s AL wild card game to advance to a Division Series matchup against Texas.

Jimenez relieved Brian Duensing with one out in the 11th, and Devon Travis singled in a 1-1 pitch. Reigning AL MVP Josh Donaldson singled on the next pitch, and Travis went all the way to third as left fielder Nolan Reimold bobbled the ball.

Encarnacion sent the following pitch, a 91 mph fastball, soaring into the second deck in left. Encarnacion immediately knew it was gone and raised both arms in triumph, index fingers pointed skyward.

Francisco Liriano retired five straight batters on four groundouts and a strikeout for the win after closer Roberto Osuna left with an injury.

Orioles closer Zach Britton, who was perfect in 47 save chances during the regular season, never got in the game.

“Nobody has been pitching better for us than Ubaldo,” Baltimore manager Buck Showalter said. “It didn’t work out.”

Toronto opens the Division Series at Texas on Thursday. Last year, the Blue Jays beat the Rangers in five-game Division Series, sparked by Jose Bautista’s memorable bat flip following a tiebreaking, three-run homer in the seventh inning of Game 5. The teams brawled in May this year when Bautista was punched in the face by Rangers infielder Rougned Odor following a play at second base.

The roof was open at Rogers Centre, formerly SkyDome, where all 24 previous postseason games had been played with it closed.

Jose Bautista led off the second against Chris Tillman with his fifth postseason homer.

SCHEDULE

WILD CARD

Tuesday: Toronto 5, Baltimore 2, 11 innings

Today: San Francisco (Bumgarner 15-9) at New York (Syndergaard 14-9), 8:09 p.m. (ESPN)

DIVISION SERIES

American League

Texas vs. Toronto

Thursday: Toronto at Texas, 4:38 p.m. (TBS)

Friday: Toronto at Texas, 1:08 p.m. (TBS)

Cleveland vs. Boston

Thursday: Boston (Porcello 22-4) at Cleveland (Bauer 12-8), 8:08 p.m. (TBS)

Friday: Boston (Price 17-9) at Cleveland (Kluber 18-9), 4:38 p.m. (TBS)

Sunday: Cleveland (Tomlin 13-9) at Boston, 4:08 p.m. (TBS)

x-Monday: Cleveland at Boston, TBA (TBS)

x-Wednesday: Boston at Cleveland, TBA (TBS)

National League

Chicago vs. San Francisco-New York winner

Friday: San Francisco-New York winner at Chicago (Lester 19-5), 9:15 p.m. (FS1)

Saturday: San Francisco-New York winner at Chicago (Hendricks 16-8) 8:08 p.m. (MLB)

Washington vs. Los Angeles

Friday: Los Angeles (Kershaw 12-4) at Washington (Scherzer 20-7), 5:38 p.m. (FS1)

Saturday: Los Angeles (Hill 12-5) at Washington, 4:08 p.m. (FS1)