BALTIMORE -- Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo has made it his priority this season to mentor his “Baby Birds,” almost all of whom are getting their first taste of September baseball. Part of the program, he said, is learning how to play while not feeling 100 percent.

That’s part of what Montoyo hopes he can impart onto Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. -- both of whom were on the field Thursday night for the series finale against the Orioles at Camden Yards.

Guerrero sustained a minor left rib contusion while sliding into second base in the ninth inning of Wednesday’s 11-10 win. But the rookie sensation felt well enough to not just bat cleanup Thursday but slot back in at third base after serving as the designated hitter on Wednesday.

Gurriel, who started in left field, has been easing himself back in from a month-long left quad strain. Thursday marked his first go-around in the field since Aug. 8, with a couple of trials at designated hitter over the past week.

Guerrero was 2-for-4 with two RBIs, and Gurriel went 2-for-5 with a homer and two RBIs in Toronto's 8-4 win over Baltimore.

“I think that’s big for him to learn how to play that way,” Montoyo said of Gurriel. “That’s the main reason why I’m excited to see how he can do not being 100 percent.

“When you think about it, he hasn’t rehabbed anywhere. That’s why we’ve been careful. Usually guys go down in the Minor Leagues … but he’s doing that in the big leagues.”

It was good news for a Blue Jays squad that had won six of its past eight games entering Thursday. That followed a season-high seven-game losing streak at the onset of September.

And although Guerrero has been slumping -- batting .232/.279/.304 in September -- no player in Major League Baseball has a better average against a single team (with a minimum of 10 games) than his .491 mark vs. the Orioles. Gurriel is 5-for-12 since returning from the injured list and is batting .284/.335/.556 line on the year.

More from the trainer’s room
• Ken Giles was unavailable to close out Wednesday night's win, which was why Derek Law -- who allowed one run and stranded the bases loaded on his second consecutive day of action -- was called upon for the save. Toronto is remaining cautious with Giles, potentially a prime offseason trade chip who has had a couple of bouts with right elbow trouble this season.

• Reliever Jordan Romano (tweaked right ankle) was back to full availability. Righty Jason Adam, who has had to let some inflammation in his right elbow subside, should be back as soon as Friday.