TORONTO -- Ubaldo Jimenez has been known to give the Toronto Blue Jays some trouble.

He has had his problems this season, but Thursday night he struck out eight and allowed two hits over eight innings and the Baltimore Orioles defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 2-0.

Jimenez is 8-5 with a 4.19 ERA in 19 career appearances (17 starts) against the Blue Jays, including a 6 2/3-inning scoreless outing Sept. 29, when he allowed one hit in a no-decision.

"Ubaldo has always been tough on us," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "He was good tonight but he's always had our number. He was sticking it pretty good."

"I think that's the best game I've seen him pitch," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said.

Jonathan Schoop and Caleb Joseph each had an RBI for the Orioles, who outhit the Blue Jays 8-3.

Jimenez (3-3) allowed one walk to earn his second win in the past three starts. The right-hander threw 71 strikes among 98 pitches in reducing his ERA to 6.48.

Brad Brach took over the ninth for the Orioles and pitched around a one-out single by Russell Martin to earn his 15th save of the season.

By winning the rubber match of the three-game series, the Orioles (39-39) took a 9-3 lead in their season series with the Blue Jays (37-41) and returned to .500 for the season.

Toronto starter J.A. Happ (2-5) allowed eight hits, two walks and two runs over 6 1/3 innings.

"Early in the game I felt real strong, I thought I was getting some early outs, keeping the pitch-count down," Happ said. "I think any time you keep any team in this league, especially this division, in this ballpark, in the ballpark, you give yourself a chance to win. So overall, I feel pretty good about it."

The Orioles took a 1-0 lead in the third on a sacrifice fly by Schoop. It scored Ruben Tejada, who led off with a single and took third on a double by Joey Rickard.

Baltimore added a run in the sixth. Schoop led off the inning with a single to left and was thrown out trying for a double by Ezequiel Carrera. Adam Jones singled, Mark Trumbo flied out to the wall in right, and after a wild pitch, Trey Mancini walked and Joseph hit an RBI single to right.

Blue Jays center fielder Kevin Pillar crashed into the wall in right-center to catch Tejada's drive to lead off the seventh inning before Rickard singled to left to end Happ's night.

"That was incredible," Happ said of Pillar's catch. "Just no regard for his body at all. It was unbelievable. We almost get used to that but it's fun to watch."

"Hopefully (Pillar) is all right, he seemed to be all right," Gibbons said. "He's pretty good out there, he's not going to back off, he wins you games doing that."

Dominic Leone replaced the left-hander and retired the final two batters of the inning and threw a perfect eighth inning.

Jimenez set down nine straight batters before Pillar doubled to right-center with two out in the eighth, the second hit of the game for the Blue Jays. Ryan Goins, who doubled in the third, fouled out to third to end the inning.

"It was fun," Jimenez said. "Since I was warming up in the bullpen, it felt like I was going to have a good day because everything was moving. The fastball was down in the zone. I had all the breaking balls, I could throw any in any count.

"I could throw any pitch in any count. Everything was moving. The splitter was crazy, the slider was good. The fastball was moving in and out. When I threw the no-hitter in Colorado, I had the same feeling."

"There really wasn't a bad pitch you could call with Ubaldo tonight," said Joseph, who caught the game. "He had everything working. That's maybe the best I've ever seen him. It was just flat-out dominant.

Toronto's Ryan Tepera pitched a perfect top of the ninth.

NOTES: Orioles C Welington Castillo was a late scratch from the lineup Thursday because of a left knee sprain suffered when he slipped on the dugout stairs. His place behind the plate and in the No. 7 spot in the batting order was taken by C Caleb Joseph, who was 2-for-4 with an RBI. ... The Blue Jays optioned RHP Chris Smith to Buffalo and have activated RHP Glenn Sparkman (thumb) from the disabled list. ... Orioles LHP Zach Britton (left forearm strain) struck out two batters in a scoreless inning for Double-A Bowie on Thursday as he continues his rehab assignment. ... Baltimore RHP Stefan Crichton (sore shoulder) will have an MRI Friday. ... The Orioles return home Friday to play the Rays in a three-game series with RHP Chris Tillman (1-5, 8.39 ERA) scheduled to start the opener against Tampa Bay RHP Jake Faria (3-0, 2.10). ... Toronto will start RHP Marco Estrada (4-6, 4.89) against Boston RHP Doug Fister (0-1, 4.50) on Friday in the opener of a three-game series against the visiting Red Sox.