Listen Live: Orioles Vs Blue Jays [Live Audio] MLB
Where: Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore, Maryland
The Baltimore Orioles have cooled since their historic start with losses in three of the last four games. The Orioles will have had two full days off to get their momentum changed when the host the Toronto Blue Jays in the opener of a three-game series on Tuesday.
Baltimore won seven straight to open the season – its best start since moving from St. Louis following the 1953 season – but dropped three of the next four before Sunday's finale at Texas was postponed. The Orioles' pitching staff was strong the first time through the rotation but started to show some cracks on the second turn while surrendering an average of 5.8 runs in the last six games. Baltimore's slugging lineup is matched by few teams in the majors but the Blue Jays happen to be one of those few with Josh Donaldson, Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion and Troy Tulowitzki in the middle of the order. Tulowitzki drove in a run and Donaldson and Bautista each scored during a four-run rally in the eighth inning on Monday that earned Toronto a 4-3 win and a split of the four-game series at Boston.
PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH Marcus Stroman (2-0, 4.22 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Mike Wright (1-0, 7.20)
Stroman sandwiched two quality starts around one dud in his three outings and limited the New York Yankees to two runs on three hits and two walks in eight innings to earn a win on Thursday. The Duke product went eight frames on opening day as well but was knocked around for five runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings without factoring in the decision against Boston on April 8. Stroman faced Baltimore on Sept. 30 last season and scattered one run and five hits over eight innings while striking out eight to pick up a win.
Wright was skipped the first time through the rotation but will avoid another skip despite the rainout on Sunday, with the Orioles electing to push everyone back a day instead. Wright was knocked around for four runs on five hits and a walk in five innings at Boston in his first start on April 12 but got enough support from the offense to come out of it with a win. The 26-year-old was knocked around by Toronto during his 2015 rookie campaign, going 0-2 with a 9.45 ERA in three appearances – two starts.
WALK-OFFS
1. Orioles DH Pedro Alvarez is 4-for-24 with one extra-base hit on the season.
2. Toronto CF Kevin Pillar is 6-for-7 in two games since being dropped from the leadoff spot in the order.
3. Baltimore 3B Manny Machado hit safely in each of the first 11 games.
PREDICTION: Blue Jays 6, Orioles 3
