Jimenez delivers strong start, Orioles blank Jays

Ubaldo Jimenez is rounding into form at the right time for the Baltimore Orioles.

Jimenez and two relievers combined on a three-hitter and the Orioles beat the Blue Jays 4-0 on Thursday night, moving into a tie with Toronto in the AL wild card race with three games remaining.

“(Jimenez) was in command pretty much all night,” Orioles catcher Matt Wieters said. “In a big game like that, he really kept his emotions under control like I knew he would. He threw the ball great.”

When he last started at Toronto on June 12, Jimenez allowed five runs and six hits in 1/3 of an inning, the shortest start of his career.

“Whatever happened to me in the past, I don’t even think about that,” Jimenez said. “If you get stuck in the past, you’re not going to be able to move on. Whether it’s good or bad, you have to find a way to look forward.”

The right-hander made his return a triumphant one, carving up the Blue Jays for 6.2 innings. The only hit he allowed was Ezequiel Carrera’s single to begin the first. Josh Donaldson followed with a walk but Jimenez retired the next six batters.

The Orioles visit New York for the final weekend of the season, while the Blue Jays head to Boston to face the AL East champion Red Sox.

Yadier Molina hit a disputed double that drove in the winning run with two outs in the ninth inning, sending St. Louis over Cincinnati.

Matt Carpenter drew a one-out walk from Blake Wood (6-5). With two outs, Molina’s one-hop hit appeared to bounce off a sign above the left-field wall and carom back into play.

Carpenter kept running and scored from first. Reds manager Bryan Price ran after the umpires, who left the field as soon as Carpenter touched the plate.

The Yankees were eliminated from playoff contention despite a win over Boston that completed a three-game sweep of the AL East champions.

New York, which could not overcome a 9-17 start, was in the bottom of the seventh inning when Baltimore’s 4-0 victory at Toronto knocked out the Yankees.

KATHY WILLENS — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Boston’s David Ortiz, left, chats with retired Yankees’ relief pitcher Mariano Rivera during a pregame ceremony in New York on Thursday.