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Orioles clinch 1st division title in 17 years

Joy R. Absalon / USA TODAY Sports

The Baltimore Orioles are partying like it's 1997.

Steve Pearce hit a first-inning three-run homer and four Orioles relievers combined to throw four scoreless innings as the Orioles topped the Toronto Blue Jays, 8-2, to secure their first American League East title in 17 years.

It's Baltimore's third straight win and ninth in its last 10 games.

[Courtesy: MLB.com]

The victory returns the Orioles to the postseason for the first time since the 2012 AL Division Series, where they lost to the New York Yankees in five games.

Orioles right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez labored through five frames, allowing two runs on two hits while issuing four free passes. Baltimore's bullpen, which entered the night with the third-best ERA in the AL, kept the Blue Jays off the scoreboard the rest of the way.

With Chris Davis serving a 25-game suspension after testing positive for amphetamines, Pearce has emerged as a key component to the Orioles' offense.

Pearce's homer was his 18th of the season - one more than the Orioles first baseman recorded in his previous seven major-league seasons combined.

Alejandro De Aza provided the insurance with a three-run triple to deep right in the home half of the seventh to extend Baltimore's lead.

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