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TORONTO — He guided the Toronto Blue Jays to their only two World Series titles and was rehired last month to see if he could conjure the magic of 1992 and 1993.
However, Cito Gaston is not a miracle worker and now, after less than three weeks on the job, the veteran manager appears resigned to the harsh reality that the moribund Jays will not contend for the playoffs this season.
"We're still going to play hard and see what happens," Gaston said before the Jays engaged the Baltimore Orioles last night at the Rogers Centre and, for once, were rather engaging in staging their biggest rally of the season for a 7-6 victory, just their second win in their past six outings.
"There's a lot of teams to get over the top here [in the American League standing]," Gaston said. "We're certainly not going to quit. But if you look at our scheduling the rest of the way, it's a pretty tough schedule."
Alex Rios is congratulated by Scott Rolen, left, after tying the game up at 6-6. (Fred Thornhill/Reuters)
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Gaston believes his 43-47 team still has a shot at the playoffs heading into the all-star break next week, "but we certainly have to play well to do that."
A few more efforts like last night's — the Jays scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to tie the game 6-6 — would certainly help.
The big blow in the bat-around seventh was a bases-loaded triple by Alex Rios, which scored three and brought Toronto to within one of the lead. Vernon Wells then singled to drive in Rios to tie the game.
The Jays completed the comeback with two out in the ninth inning, when Rios came home from third after Baltimore shortstop Freddie Bynum let a weak grounder by Scott Rolen glide between his legs. Bynum was charged with an error.
Jays closer B.J. Ryan, 2-3, pitched the ninth inning for the win. The loss was taken by Orioles reliever Jim Johnson, 2-3.
"We needed a game like that, a come-from-behind game and a big hit in the ballgame," Gaston said. "It gives the pitchers some confidence that they can get behind and then come back and win a ballgame."
The Jays received some potentially bad news after starter Dustin McGowan left after pitching the fourth inning, complaining of a sore right shoulder.
McGowan, who didn't appear overly concerned about the injury in the clubhouse afterward, will have a magnetic resonance imaging exam today.
"It's just been a little tender, but tonight it really started barking on me a little bit," he said, noting the shoulder has been giving him some pain his past couple of starts.
Last night marked the first of a three-game set against the Orioles after the Blue Jays returned from a six-game West Coast swing in which they continued to struggle, winning just twice to fall further behind in their quest to mount a serious run at the postseason.
With last night's win, the Jays now trail the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays by a formidable 12 1/2 games. Toronto is 9 1/2 out in the AL wild-card race.
Even Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi, while not giving up, appears to be getting ready to reach for the white towel.
"My job is to have expectations," he said yesterday. "And our expectations are that this team is not as bad as it's played and hopefully will play a little better.
"Now, does that mean we're going to be a playoff team? No, the chances are probably not good that way. But that doesn't mean we can't hold out hope that we can play better."
McGowan had a shaky start, surrendering a towering home run to left field by Aubrey Huff in the first inning, which gave the Orioles a 1-0 lead.
The Jays tied it in their half of the inning, when Wells singled home Joe Inglett from second base.
But McGowan coughed up another two runs in the third inning, helped along by a Rolen error at third base and later a wild pitch that allowed Baltimore's second run to cross.
Baltimore added to its lead in the fourth inning, when Adam Jones doubled down the right-field line to score Melvin Mora from first to make the score 4-1.
The Jays got one back in their half of the fourth to make it 4-2, when Rod Barajas singled home Wells from second.
Baltimore took a 6-2 lead in the seventh inning, when Nick Markakis singled off reliever Scott Downs with the bases loaded to score two more.
