The Blue Jays reached the .500 record mark for the first time since June 14 with two wins against the Orioles on Thursday afternoon.

The first game, a continuation from last night due to rain, was a 5-2 win for the good guys.

On "Flashback Wednesday" (both teams were in throwback uniforms) A.J. Burnett took to the mound and earned his 11th victory in an effective start lasting five innings. Burnett pitched 5.0 innings due to rain, struck out 7 while allowing no walks and allowed just a single run on six hits.  It was another impressive outing from Burnett.

The Blue Jays struck first in the first when Marco Scutaro plated Adam Lind on a ground out. The Orioles answered back quickly in the bottom of the inning scoring a run of their own on an infield single.

The score was knotted at one a piece until the Blue Jays sixth. Alex Rios lead off with a single, stole second and was knocked in by Lyle Overbay. Overbay got as far as third base before the rain struck. After a 1 hour and 45 minute wait the game was suspended, due to continue the next day.

When the game picked up again the Orioles looked flat... the Blue Jays capitalized. In the eighth the Jays put three runs on the board, increasing their lead to 5-1.

Starting Lineup
Toronto Blue Jays @ Baltimore Orioles - July 23/24, 2008 (Box)

With one out and the bases loaded, Kevin Millar air mailed a throw to home plate on an Adam Lind infield ground ball, two runs came into score. John McDonald followed with a sac fly, Rolen came into score.

In the end the three gift runs didn’t really matter as Jesse Carlson, Shawn Camp and Scott Downs shut the Orioles down, allowing just two hits from the sixth inning on.

With the win the Blue Jays pulled within a game of a .500 record and had a chance to win the four game series with another win.

Game two, the "afternoon night cap," stared roughly half and hour after the first. Roy Halladay was on the hill in search of a win and series win over the Orioles.

Early on it looked like it would be another frustrating game. In the second the Blue Jays loaded the bases with a walk and a pair of hits, but Gregg Zaun lined out to right field and Matt Stairs was thrown out at the plate. They got nothing.

However the Blue Jays eventually struck first. Joe Inglett scored from third base on a wild pitch by O’s started Daniel Cabrera. On the play Marco Scutaro moved up to second and was cashed in on a single from Lyle Overbay. The good guys went up 2-0.

Starting Lineup
Toronto Blue Jays @ Baltimore Orioles - July 24, 2008 (Box)

Roy Halladay was his usual dominating self. Doc pitched seven strong innings, recording six strikeouts with a walk and just a single earned run. Halladay’s career win/loss record against the O’s improved to an impressive 18-4.

The Jays added a run in the fourth and fifth innings, now up 4-0. Brad Wilkerson singled in Adam Lind and Overbay sac flied in Scutaro.

The Orioles finally got on the board in the sixth, but by then it was too late as the Jays put three more runs on the board in the top of the inning. Gregg Zaun singled in two runs and Scutaro sac flied in Brad Wilkerson to go up 7-1.

Adam Lind was 3-for-4 on the game and an impressive 9-for-17 on the series, raising his batting average to a team high of .309.

Brian Tallet and Jason Frasor held the Orioles hitless in the last two frames, closing out the series win against Baltimore.

With the win the Blue Jays hit the .500 mark for the first time since June 14, and put 2.5 games between them and the last place Orioles.

They club will now head home and start a series with the Mariners. John Parrish will get the nod for his fourth start tomorrow night.