Blue Jays at Orioles
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is in the first season of what figures to be a long major-league career, but he will be hard-pressed to replicate the production he's enjoyed over the last week at any point. The 20-year-old slugger attempts to power his team to a season-best fifth straight victory Friday when the Toronto Blue Jays visit the Baltimore Orioles for the second contest of their four-game set.
Guerrero finished 3-for-5 with two home runs and four RBIs in Thursday's 11-2 rout, sending Toronto to fourth straight road win after beginning the season 20-33 away from home and its fifth victory in six tries overall. Much of the credit for the recent surge belongs to baseball's top prospect entering the season, as he is 11-for-25 with four homers and 16 RBIs in his last five contests. The Orioles were unable to keep up with the Blue Jays' offensive barrage in the series opener, but they are a respectable 8-6 over their last 14 games after owning the worst record in baseball for most of the year. Hanser Alberto, who entered the season as a career .192 hitter over parts of three years with the Texas Rangers, continued his breakout season with Baltimore in the opener with a 2-for-2 effort to lift his batting average to a team-high .315.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, Sportsnet (Toronto), MASN (Baltimore)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays LH Thomas Pannone (2-4, 5.98 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Aaron Brooks (2-4, 5.46)
Pannone remained winless as a member of the rotation in 2019 but enjoyed his first quality start Monday as part of a no-decision in Kansas City, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits and a walk over six innings. It was a marked improvement for the 25-year-old, who had lost each of his previous three turns while surrendering 15 runs in 9 1/3 frames. Pannone has encountered no such problems in two relief appearances against Baltimore this season, firing five scoreless innings.
Brooks was fortunate to come away with a third no-decision in four starts with Baltimore on Saturday after the Los Angeles Angels tagged him for five runs - including a pair of homers - over five innings. The former ninth-round pick has managed to hold his own across three turns this season in Camden Yards, going 1-0 with a 3.18 ERA. Brooks took the loss when he faced Toronto in mid-April as a member of the Oakland Athletics, giving up five runs in as many frames.
WALK-OFFS
1. The season series is tied 5-5 after the Blue Jays won 14 of the 19 meetings in 2018.
2. Alberto is batting .410 against left-handed pitching this season - the best mark in the majors among qualified hitters.
3. Toronto boasts a 1.75 team ERA during its winning streak.