Blue Jays at Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles staggered to a major league-worst 115 losses a year ago and are tied for the worst record in baseball this season, but they have one attainable goal when they open a six-game homestand against the reeling Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday night. Buried in the American League East cellar, the Orioles are only three games behind reeling fourth-place Toronto.
After going 2-4 on a six-game road trip against Texas and Houston, Baltimore has dropped 29 of its last 39 games since its last series win against the Chicago White Sox from April 22-24. The Orioles also took two of three in Toronto in their first series of April but have gone more than a month without posting back-to-back victories. The Blue Jays have dropped four games in a row -- scoring two runs or fewer in each -- and 14 of 17 overall after absorbing a three-game sweep at home by the Arizona Diamondbacks. "We know if we play our A-game and play well we can beat the best teams in baseball, like the Yankees," manager Charlie Montoyo said. "If we don't play our best we can lose to anybody. We can't show up with our B-game or C-game. It's not going to work."
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, Sportsnet (Toronto), MASH (Baltimore)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH Trent Thornton (1-4, 4.73 ERA) vs. Orioles LH John Means (5-4, 2.67)
It took nine starts before Thornton notched his first major league victory on May 14 and he will be looking for his second win after registering four consecutive no-decisions, including five innings of four-run ball against the Yankees last time out. The 25-year-old rookie has made it through six innings in only three of his 13 starts and continues to battle control issues, walking at least three batters in five of his last eight turns. Thornton is 1-1 with a 3.21 ERA in six starts away from home.
Means has been one of the few bright spots for Baltimore but he also is winless in his last four trips to the mound despite not allowing more than three runs in each of those outings. The 26-year-old rookie settled for his third straight no-decision at Texas on Wednesday despite limiting the Rangers to one run over six innings and also tossed six innings of one-run ball in his previous turn against Detroit. Means has pitched superbly at Camden Yards with a 3-1 mark and 1.53 ERA in seven appearances (five starts).
WALK-OFFS
1. Orioles INF Hanser Alberto is 13-for-29 over the past six games.
2. Blue Jays LF Lourdes Gurriel Jr. is 6-for-16 during a four-game hitting streak.
3. Orioles LF Trey Mancini has reached base in 10 straight games.