rt him as soon as practical.Theres a lot of different things going into it, Zimmer said.C

TORONTO -- Zach Britton was perfect for Baltimore at all the right times during the regular season.For manager Buck Showalter, the right time never came Tuesday night.Showalter left Britton in the bullpen while Ubaldo Jimenez allowed Edwin Encarnacions game-ending home run in the 11th inning, and the Orioles season ended with a 5-2 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays in the AL wild-card game.Britton converted all 47 of his save chances during the regular season, but the All-Star closer wasnt among the seven pitchers Baltimore used in the winner-take-all game.(Britton) was fine, Showalter said, adding that I considered a lot of things during the course of the game, but our guys did a good job getting us to that point. We just couldnt finish it off. Yeah, he was available.Showalter used setup men Brad Brach and Darren ODay to navigate the top of Torontos order over the eighth and ninth innings and let ODay work the 10th.Left-hander Brian Duensing relieved ODay to begin the 11th and struck out lefty Ezequiel Carrera looking. Then entered Jimenez, who had a 5.44 ERA during the regular season.Jimenez allowed three hits on three pitches, the last Encarnacions homer on a 91 mph fastball.Baltimore had 10 pitchers available for the wild-card game, leaving only Britton, Tommy Hunter and starter Dylan Bundy unused.Britton warmed up three times.Its frustrating but its not my call, Britton said. It was just frustrating to have to sit there and watch.Showalter has said hed vote Britton for the AL Cy Young Award if he could, and now faces a long winter having left his bullpen ace on the bench.Jimenez entered with one out and allowed consecutive singles to Devon Travis and Josh Donaldson, with Travis reaching third when left fielder Nolan Reimold bobbled Donaldsons bouncing hit. With the infield in, Encarnacion sent the following pitch into the second deck in left field. Encarnacion immediately knew it was gone and raised both arms in triumph, index fingers pointed skyward.I was looking for a fastball and I was trying to put the barrel on it, get a little bit in front because the infield was playing in, and I actually got it, Encarnacion said through a translator.Showalter pointed to Jimenezs second-half resurgence in defending the decision -- Jimenez was 3-2 with a 2.45 ERA in his final seven starts.Nobody has been pitching better for us than Ubaldo, Showalter said. So theres a lot of different ways to look at it, so thats the way we went. It didnt work out.Gibbons wasnt surprised to see Showalter hold back his closer on the road.I never question what anyone else does because youve got to make tough decisions, Gibbons said. You know what, most people dont ever agree with your decisions regardless.Torontos Francisco Liriano retired five straight batters on four groundouts and a strikeout for the win after closer Roberto Osuna left with a sore shoulder.The roof was open at Rogers Centre, formerly SkyDome, where all 24 previous postseason games had been played with it closed.Toronto opens the Division Series at Texas on Thursday.Jose Bautista led off the second against Chris Tillman with his fifth postseason homer. Mark Trumbo, who led the major leagues with 47 home runs, gave Baltimore a 2-1 lead in the fourth with a two-run homer off Marcus Stroman.Ezequiel Carreras RBI single chased Tillman in the fifth.PATHETIC AS IT GETSWhen Toronto pinch-hitter Melvin Upton Jr. flied out to the warning track in left field to end the seventh, Orioles outfielder Hyun Soo Kim was nearly struck by a can that was thrown from the stands. Center fielder Adam Jones angrily gestured toward the seats, and Showalter came out to register his displeasure with the umpires.Its tough when you have that many people in the ballpark and one person does something that reflects poorly on all of them, Showalter said. It can happen in any ballpark. I dont like anything that puts our guys in harms way.Jones wasnt as diplomatic as his manager.That is about as pathetic as it gets, Jones said. I hope they find the guy and press charges.Blue Jays spokesman Erik Grosman said the fan was not ejected because he took off before police had a chance to get him. Police are investigating.Blue Jays fans tossed bottles and debris on the field during Game 5 against Texas last year, upset at the call that let Rougned Odor score from third after catcher Russell Martins throw back to the mound deflected off Shin Soo Choos bat.SLIM PICKINGSBaltimore was held hitless after Manny Machados infield single in the sixth.EXTRA, EXTRA!This was the second extra-inning wild card game. Kansas City rallied to beat Oakland 9-8 in 12 innings in 2014.Stephon Gilmore Jersey . First off, the fans ripped the Cubbies introduction of a fuzzy new kid-friendly mascot named "Clark". Sony Michel Youth Jersey . The FA rejected Wilsheres appeal that the length of his punishment was "clearly excessive" and said Thursday his suspension begins with immediate effect. He will miss league matches against Chelsea on Monday and West Ham on Dec. http://www.patriotsjerseysauthentic.com/Steve-Grogan-Super-Bowl-Jersey/ . -- Al Jefferson found a groove just in time for the Charlotte Bobcats. Andre Tippett Youth Jersey . Aside from the trilogy main event title fight, there are a number of intriguing matchups in the heavyweight, welterweight and lightweight divisions. Steve Grogan Womens Jersey . The International Olympic Committee released the official list of bid cities on Friday after the deadline for applications had passed. The candidates -- all previously announced in their own countries -- are: Almaty, Kazakhstan; Beijing; Krakow, Poland; Lviv, Ukraine; Oslo, Norway; and Stockholm.EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- The Minnesota Vikings will try to keep the Green Bay Packers guessing about their starting quarterback this week.Coach Mike Zimmer said Monday he has not yet decided whether Shaun Hill will stay in the lineup or be replaced by Sam Bradford on Sunday night in the long-anticipated matchup between the border-state rivals that will break in Minnesotas new $1.1 billion stadium.I just figured itd be good sports talk radio. I dont know, Zimmer said, adding: Green Bay is an awfully good team. Everybody is picking them to go to the Super Bowl. Were just trying to be in the fight, and Ill try to keep my cards close to the vest.Bradford had only seven days to prepare for the opener at Tennessee, after arriving in a trade with Philadelphia that was prompted by the season-ending injury to Teddy Bridgewaters left knee. Vikings coaches have praised Bradford as a quick study, but the 15-year veteran Hill was the safe pick for the first week.If they didnt trust him to make a spot start 12 days after Bridgewater went down with a devastating injury, then there wouldve been no point in even having Hill on the roster in the first place. Hill did nothing to invalidate Zimmers decision, completing 18 of 33 passes for 236 yards and most importantly no turnovers during Minnesotas 25-16 victory.He had poise. He never got too high or too low, wide receiver Stefon Diggs said. If you noticed, he had some wheels if you saw him take off and run a little bit. Im just happy that he is playing at a high level, and I expect that from him.Adrian Peterson rushed for only 31 yards on 19 attempts, a product of the Titans crowding the line of scrimmage and daring Hill to beat them deep.One-third of Hills completions netted more than 15 yards, and four of them (two to Adam Thielen, one to Diggs and one to Kyle Rudolph) could be qualified as long passes. The throw to Diggs, midway through the fourth quarter as the Vikings drove for the fourth field goal of the second half by Blair Walsh, gaiined 33 yards.dddddddddddd That was the only one that exceeded 21 yards.There are two reasons Zimmer and his assistants would make the switch and send Bradford out for the debut of U.S. Bank Stadium, On the big stage of the nationally televised prime-time game for the defending NFC North champion Vikings against the team best positioned to take away that title.One: His superior arm strength ought to help the Vikings stretch the field better and, ideally, create more space in the box for Peterson to run free. Two: The Vikings gave up two draft picks for him, including their first-rounder in 2017, so the plan all along has been to start him as soon as practical.Theres a lot of different things going into it, Zimmer said.Cornerback Trae Waynes also fared well in his fill-in start after Xavier Rhodes hurt his right knee the morning of the game. Rhodes had been fighting a hamstring injury for the last few weeks, but that has healed. Rhodes said he felt a popping sensation in the knee while he was stretching and didnt sound optimistic about being ready to face Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. He was headed for an MRI exam Monday afternoon.I was excited coming into the season, ready to play in the first game, and it didnt turn out the way I wanted it to, so I was pretty upset about it, Rhodes said.Zimmer said Rhodes wont need surgery.So well take it day by day, the coach said.Terence Newman started at the other outside spot, with Captain Munnerlyn in his usual role in the nickel package. Waynes will figure to take some of Newmans playing time this year, his second in the league. The injury to Rhodes raised an extra opportunity for Waynes.He continues to get better. Hell continue to get more playing time, Zimmer said. So I feel good about where hes at.---Online:AP NFL website: http://www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '