NEW YORK -- Buck Showalter was scoreboard watching through a fine, steady rain that gave Yankee Stadium a film noir feel.I had no choice, because it was right behind the pitchers head, the Orioles manager said.He got to see Baltimore keep up its late surge while monitoring Torontos stumble in Boston.Mark Trumbo hit his major league-leading 47th home run, Jonathan Schoop and Adam Jones also went deep in a six-run fifth inning and the Orioles beat New York 8-1 on Friday night to open a one-game lead over the Blue Jays for the ALs two wild cards.Baltimore remained 1 1/2 games in front of Detroit, with Seattle another half-game back.Two games are left, and the Orioles magic number for a postseason berth is two.Its definitely a position that you want to be in, Trumbo said.Trumbo and Jones homered off Michael Pineda (6-12), who started with 3 2/3 hitless innings and suddenly became ineffective.Schoop tied his career high with five RBI, hitting a go-ahead, two-run double in the fourth and a three-run homer in the fifth against James Pazos.Baltimore has won three in a row and six of seven. The Orioles lead the major leagues with 250 home runs and have hit three or more in an inning 10 times.I think beyond the regular season were going to see pitching thats going to be top of the line, and its important against that caliber to be able to scrap together some runs that may be a little harder to come by at times, Trumbo said.Yovani Gallardo (6-8) won for just the second time in nine starts since Aug. 5, allowing two hits, three walks and Mark Teixeiras sacrifice fly in six innings.Its obviously just hard to grip the ball, Gallardo said. Slipping off the mound.There were maybe 1,000 people in the seats among the announced crowd of 33,955 when the game began, and there was standing water on the warning track. Only about 200 stayed in the seats for the final out.Yankees second baseman Ronald Torreyes, center fielder Eric Young Jr. and first baseman Tyler Austin slipped to the turf while attempting to field balls. Third baseman Chase Headley splashed into a puddle in front of Baltimores dugout chasing a foul popup and Torreyes, having moved to shortstop, snagged Chris Davis wind-blown seventh-inning pop about 10 feet from home plate.It was just ugly. Theres no other way to put it, Teixeira said.Eliminated on Thursday, New York rested two regulars and pulled four others by the sixth inning. Baltimore had lost 11 straight series openers in the Bronx since 2012.Jones 29th homer landed in the second deck in left. Schoop doubled high off the right-field wall and homered into the first deck in left. He also had five RBI on May 14 against Detroit.Pineda allowed five runs, six hits, two homers and three walks in 4 1/3 innings, finishing with a 4.82 ERA. As Trumbo circled the bases, Pineda took off his cap and scratched his head.Pineda leads in the AL with 10.6 strikeouts per nine innings but his ERA is 68th among 76 qualifying pitchers in the major leagues.Its mind-boggling, Yankees manager Joe Girardi said before the game. It just doesnt make sense. And you look for reasons, and believe me, well look, and Im sure well look a long time this winter.IN THE DEEP OF THE NIGHTBaltimore didnt arrive at its hotel until 4 a.m. following its flight from Toronto. Showalter said the team was delayed for 2 hours at the airport before departing.We really dont have any idea why, he said. Couldnt seem to get the luggage and the equipment on the plane. They held our equipment people at the gate forever.The Blue Jays headed to Boston to finish their schedule.No conspiracies. Im sure the Toronto Blue Jays had the same issue, Showalter said. Mostly American stuff coming back in on the USA side. But it was a mess. I didnt think wed ever get here.UP NEXTLHP Wade Miley (9-13) is scheduled to start for Baltimore on Saturday, when rain again is forecast. He allowed one run in 8 2/3 innings in a 6-1 win over Arizona last weekend. RHP Luis Severino (3-8) is slated to start for New York in place of Masahiro Tanaka (14-4), who missed his previous turn with a right forearm strain. Tanaka finished with 199 2/3 innings.Derek Jeter Jersey . According to a report from the Winnipeg Free Press, the Bombers will name Acting GM Kyle Walters to the post full time. Joe DiMaggio Yankees Jersey . "Four now," Carl Gunnarsson told the Leaf Report proudly following a 5-2 victory over New York on Tuesday night, the clubs fifth straight at home. https://www.cheapyankees.com/1351g-derek-jeter-jersey-yankees.html . They were putting most of their energy into a record-setting offensive display. Roger Maris Jersey . "Theyve both been real good," said Babcock. "Havent changed our minds." A decision has seemingly been made - Sundays Group B-deciding tilt against Finland ahead - but it could not have been an easy one. Price opened the tournament with a sturdy 19-save performance against the Norwegians, yielding just one goal. Austin Romine Jersey . Now, with Game 6 set for Fenway Park and an 8:07 p.m. ET first pitch, the Detroit Tigers face the unenviable task of having to beat the Boston Red Sox twice, on the road, to advance to the World Series.By Sunday evening when New England plays at Columbus Crew SC the rest of the weekend schedule in MLS will have been completed and the teams at Mapfre Stadium will know where they stand in the Eastern Conference playoff chase.The challenge for the Revolution (9-12-9), winners of three straight, is staying in the mix with Montreal, D.C. United and Orlando SC for one of the final two postseason berths in the Eastern Conference.Obviously, wed like to be in a better position, defender London Woodberry said on the teams website. But were still in a good position. Were fighting. I think that tells you a lot about our guys. Weve got a never-give-up mentality in the locker room.The task for ninth-place Columbus (6-11-11) is to leap three teams, including New England, for the final spot. The Crew trails New England by seven points with six games left.ddddddddddddWe have a high confidence level, and we know what is at stake, defender Harrison Afful said. We have to go all out, but we also have to be careful because we are playing a very tough opponent. We have to get three points.Revolution forward Kei Kamara, who scored 22 times last season in helping the Crew reach the MLS Cup, returns to Mapfre Stadium for the first time since being traded to New England on May 8. He has faced his former team twice at Gillette Stadium, scoring once as the teams split.He has 10 goals, five of them in 17 Revolution matches.We know how dangerous Kei is. We just cant let him get in easy at all, Afful said. ' ' '
