Blue Jays at Orioles
The Toronto Blue Jays aim to clinch their third straight series win when they continue a three-game set against the host Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday. After dropping their first two games of the season, the Blue Jays have won seven of nine, claiming series against the Chicago White Sox and Texas before opening the set at Camden Yards with a 7-1 victory.
Steve Pearce slugged an early two-run homer and Josh Donaldson hit a ninth-inning grand slam for Toronto, which has scored at least seven runs in each of its last four wins. It was cold and misty during the game and the attendance was announced as 7,915, the lowest paid crowd in the history of Camden Yards. The Orioles had enjoyed a wild weekend in Yankee Stadium by winning three of four - two in extra innings - before falling to 1-3 at home with Monday's loss. First baseman Chris Davis returned to the lineup after missing Sunday's game with an illness but went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts to fall to 3-for-34 on the season.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, Sportsnet (Toronto), MASN2 (Baltimore)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH Aaron Sanchez (0-1, 5.40 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Andrew Cashner (1-1, 4.09)
Sanchez followed a rocky outing in his season debut with a quality start in a no-decision against the White Sox on Wednesday. He gave up three runs and six hits while striking out seven in six innings of a game the Blue Jays eventually lost. Jonathan Schoop is 9-for-22 with a home run and Davis is 8-for-22 with four blasts against the 25-year-old Sanchez, who is 5-3 with a 4.33 ERA versus Baltimore in his career.
Like Sanchez, Cashner bounced back in his second start of the season and won his first career outing at Yankee Stadium after yielding one run over six innings. The 31-year-old Texan has allowed just eight hits in 11 frames so far this year, but half of them have been home runs. Cashner owns a 2.77 ERA in two career starts against the Blue Jays, both of which have taken place in Toronto.
WALK-OFFS
1. Blue Jays 1B Justin Smoak has recorded five multi-hit efforts in his last nine games.
2. Orioles SS Manny Machado produced the team's lone run on Monday with a solo shot and is 9-for-19 with three homers and six RBIs over a four-game stretch.
3. Toronto DH Kendrys Morales left the series opener with a hamstring strain, but MGR John Gibbons stated he does not think the slugger will require a stint on the disabled list.