Orioles at Blue Jays
In the rare instance the Toronto Blue Jays’ league-best offense hasn’t lit up the scoreboard during their nine-game home winning streak, the pitching staff has saved the day. Such was the case for the Blue Jays on Friday when Marco Estrada took a no-hitter into the eighth inning and it could easily be the case again on Saturday when the Blue Jays look to tie a 30-year-old franchise record for most consecutive home wins against the Baltimore Orioles.
Toronto, which hasn’t lost at Rogers Centre since May 27, has scored at
least six runs and held the opposition to three or fewer seven times each
during its streak. One of the two exceptions to both conditions came in
the Blue Jays’ series-opening 5-4 win over Baltimore on Friday as
Toronto withstood a late rally against its bullpen. The Orioles have
dropped two in a row after winning 11 of their previous 13 and cannot be
thrilled with the prospect of facing red-hot Mark Buehrle, who has won
each of his three starts against them this season. In each of those
outings versus Baltimore, Toronto has backed its southpaw with at least
10 runs.
TV: 1:07 p.m. ET, MLB Network, WJZ and MASN (Baltimore), SNET (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Kevin Gausman (1-0, 4.50 ERA) vs. Blue Jays LH Mark Buehrle (7-4, 4.01)
Sidelined
since May 7 after developing tendinitis in his right shoulder, Gausman
draws his first start of the season following three short rehab outings
across two minor-league stops. The 24-year-old LSU product, who went 0-1
with a 5.40 ERA with Single-A Frederick and Double-A Bowie, posted
four consecutive scoreless appearances out of the Orioles’ bullpen prior
to his stint on the disabled list. Gausman has seen the Blue Jays twice
this season – giving up a run over 3 1/3 relief innings – and is 1-1
with a 3.78 ERA in seven games (two starts) against them.
Buehrle
deserved a better fate after yielding two runs (one earned) over seven
frames on Monday, but settled for his second straight no-decision in a
4-3 road loss to the New York Mets. The five-time All-Star has been
sharp in June, going 1-0 with a 1.23 ERA across three outings, and is
tied with Detroit’s David Price for the league lead with three complete
games. Buehrle’s success versus the Orioles this season has lifted his
career mark against them to 11-10 in 27 appearances (25 starts).
WALK-OFFS
1. Toronto has won 14 of 16 overall, outscoring the opposition 113-52.
2.
Baltimore SS J.J. Hardy went 0-for-4 on Friday to snap an 11-game
hitting streak, but he is still batting .327 in June after hitting .190
in May.
3. Blue Jays CF Kevin Pillar is 14-of-32 with six multi-hit efforts over his last eight contests.