masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgThe Orioles are 32 games above .500 and they lead the American League East by 14 1/2 games.

Who saw it coming in March? Who thought back in December that they might end up 32 games below .500?

The Orioles completed their sweep of the Blue Jays tonight with a 6-1 win before 37,537 at Camden Yards. They’re now 31-19 in series finales.

The Orioles swept the Jays for the first time since taking two games on Aug. 24-25, 2012 in Baltimore, and they completed the first three-game sweep here since…The Orioles are 32 games above .500 and they lead the American League East by 14 1/2 games.

Who saw it coming in March? Who thought back in December that they might end up 32 games below .500?

The Orioles completed their sweep of the Blue Jays tonight with a 6-1 win before 37,537 at Camden Yards. They’re now 31-19 in series finales.

The Orioles swept the Jays for the first time since taking two games on Aug. 24-25, 2012 in Baltimore, and they completed the first three-game sweep here since Sept. 2-4 vs. the Reds.

So much for a drop in intensity and performance after last night’s clincher and wild celebration. The so-called “hangover game” ended in their favor.

“Talk about being proactive and reactive and the whole nine yards, the organization set up a little bus to take everybody back to their places,” said manager Buck Showalter. “I noticed when I got here this morning that there were a lot of cars parked in the parking lot, which was a real good sign, I thought. But we talked a little bit today. I want them to know what the rest of the season holds for us and what we need to get accomplished. Met with five or six guys individually.

“Like we talked about earlier, we’ve got some things we need to keep from happening and some things we want to present the best chance for them to happen.”

Steve Pearce hit two more home runs, giving him 20 on the season.

“I don’t know what else to say about Stevie,” Showalter said. “I think it’s pretty much established what he’s done for us this year. (J.A.) Happ’s got good stuff. He’s got a late-life fastball and a two-seamer.

“Just the little things, the mental toughness. Like his first at-bat. Stevie swings through a couple of pitches and I’m sure he’s going, ‘Geez, I don’t know what happened.’ And then he just made the adjustment.

“A lot of guys have a tough time keeping that ball fair. I notice he and Delmon (Young) both, those balls down there, they have a certain knack for keeping it fair.”

Pearce has never hit 20 home runs at one level in professional baseball until this season.

“I bet if you look back at it, it’s the first time he’s had an extended period of health,” Showalter said.

“I was thinking in the dugout, looking at his plate appearances and at-bats, if you put that over five, six, 700 plate appearances, it would be hard to do.

“He’ll go a couple games and not look too pretty and all of a sudden he’s locked back in.”

David Lough came off the bench and homered in the eighth.

“I was really happy for David Lough, too,” Showalter said. “That was good to see. He almost caught that one ball.”

Bud Norris earned his 14th win by shutting out the Jays over 5 1/3 innings. He allowed only two hits, but also walked five batters.

“Bud was kind of erratic with his command,” Showalter said, “but he made pitches when he had to.”

walker-at-bat-(screen-shot)-sidebar.jpgChristian Walker collected his first major league hit with a leadoff double in the seventh inning.

“That’s cool,” Showalter said. “There are so many things you get to have a good seat for. I hope it’s the first of many. We’ll see.

“I can’t imagine what was going through his head tonight. He hit it pretty well. I’d like to have been a fly on the wall when he saw the lineup go up. I was happy for him. That was cool. Made a good pick on a short hop.”

Both benches were warned in all three games of the series. It happened again tonight after Jays reliever Aaron Sanchez almost drilled Pearce, the ball deflecting off the bat.

“I try to look at the reality,” Showalter said. “That kid Sanchez started in Dunedin this year, emotional. I don’t think he was throwing at anybody, but still it doesn’t make anybody happy. Stevie almost wore one. To hit those type of guys, you have to get over the plate and cheat a little bit with the barrel head now and then. We dodged another bullet. Talking to Paul (Schrieber) behind the plate, that thing was a foul ball. Stevie didn’t want to go to first base.

“Fortunately, Jon (Schoop) got his coconut out of there before he got hit. It’s just a reminder, 162 games, how many things, just one pitch. It’s so fragile, being so close to these guys getting a chance, there are times when you’re just trying to get through a game with everybody healthy.”