BALTIMORE (AP) -Mark Hendrickson's drought as a starting pitcher was longer than the Baltimore Orioles' quest for an elusive three-game winning streak.

Hendrickson won his first start since April, Jeff Fiorentino drove in two runs and the Orioles beat the Toronto Blue Jays 6-3 Saturday night for their third straight victory.

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``This time of year, especially the last week of the season, a lot of it's mental,' Hendrickson said. ``Just go out there and finish on a good note. For myself, I was pretty proud of the way I handled my last four starts, giving my team a chance.'

The victory assured the Orioles of avoiding their third 100-loss season in club history.

``We don't have to talk about it. ... We don't have to consider that any longer,' manager Dave Trembley said. ``I didn't think that was particularly prominent, although nobody wants to have to deal with something like that.'

Baltimore's first three-game win streak since June 19-21 - a span of 92 games - follows its 13-game skid.

Earlier in the day, Toronto fired general manager J.P. Ricciardi after eight seasons and promoted 32-year-old assistant GM Alex Anthopoulos. Acting team president Paul Beeston said he would recommend Anthopoulos be retained full time once the Blue Jays complete their search for a permanent chief executive officer.

Hendrickson (6-5), who was 0-5 in his previous nine starts and had spent time pitching out of the bullpen, allowed three runs and six hits over 6 1-3 innings. He walked three and struck out three in his first victory as a starter since April 10, his initial appearance of the year.

``He's been three guys in one - long guy, spot starter, situational (and) matchup,' Trembley said. ``He's certainly done a nice job.'

Hendrickson hadn't gone more than five innings in his last eight starts before heading to the bullpen, where he was 4-0 with a 3.44 ERA in 42 outings. Since rejoining the rotation in September, when the Orioles shut down some of their top pitching prospects, the 6-foot-9 left-hander has demonstrated an effective cutter and swing-and-miss curveball.

Saturday was his third straight outing of six or more innings.

``He's got a good curveball. He keeps you off balance. He threw great tonight,' Toronto first baseman Kevin Millar said of Hendrickson.

Cla Meredith escaped a seventh-inning jam, Danys Baez pitched the eighth and Jim Johnson worked the ninth for his 10th save.

Toronto took a 2-0 lead in the second. After loading the bases on three singles, Travis Snider delivered a sacrifice fly and Hendrickson balked home a run.

In the Baltimore second, Lou Montanez doubled and scored on Fiorentino's single.

A four-run fourth put the Orioles ahead. Nick Markakis led off with a double and scored on Ty Wigginton's single. After Baltimore loaded the bases, Fiorentino and Guillermo Hernandez had RBI groundouts and Brian Roberts singled home another run.

Scott Richmond (8-11) went four innings, allowing five runs on seven hits.

``Richmond pretty much struggled for three months. Tonight was no different,' Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston said. ``He had problems locating his fastball. He has to make sure to put guys away. He didn't get it done.'

Cesar Izturis doubled home a run for a 6-2 lead in the sixth.

Hendrickson departed after Snider doubled and Jose Bautista walked with one out in the seventh. Aaron Hill greeted Meredith with an RBI single.

NOTES: Bautista had a streak of four straight games with a home run snapped. ... Roberts was voted Most Valuable Oriole in a media poll. He also won the award in 2005. ... Baltimore OF Luke Scott missed a third straight game with a sore left foot. ... Beeston, Anthopoulos and Rogers Media president Tony Viner spoke with disgruntled Blue Jays who had criticized Cito Gaston's managerial style in a pregame players-only meeting.