Orioles at Blue Jays
The Baltimore Orioles have been the cure to a lot of their opponents' ills this season, and such was the case again Thursday when it came to the recent struggles of the Toronto Blue Jays. Coming off only their second victory in their last nine contests in the series opener, the Blue Jays eye their first winning streak since April 29-May 1 on Friday when they continue a four-game home set with the Orioles.
Baltimore's Brad Brach took a three-run lead and his streak of 10 consecutive scoreless relief outings to the mound in the ninth inning Thursday, but Toronto reached the closer for three runs in the bottom of the frame and won in the 10th on Aledmys Diaz's two-out, walk-off single. Not only did the rally secure the Blue Jays' fourth walk-off victory of the season, but it also gave them only their second home triumph in 12 tries. The comeback also halted any momentum the Orioles had created after winning each of their two games in New York against the Mets earlier in the week following a seven-game losing streak. Manny Machado continues being a bright spot for what has been an otherwise dismal season for the team with the worst record in the majors in Baltimore (19-42), as he drove in a run for the fifth straight game Thursday.
TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, MASN 2 (Baltimore), Sportsnet (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Andrew Cashner (2-7, 5.02 ERA) vs. Blue Jays LH J.A. Happ (7-3, 4.08)
Cashner fell to 1-6 since April 5 despite logging a quality start Friday against the New York Yankees, permitting three runs on nine hits and a walk across five innings. The TCU product hasn't surrendered a home run in any of his last three turns since allowing at least one in his six previous outings, but Friday marked the first time since May 9 he lasted six innings. Cashner turned in his best start of the season April 10 at Toronto, firing seven scoreless frames in a no-decision.
Happ's string of three consecutive wins in as many starts came to a halt Saturday in his worst outing in nearly a month, settling for a no-decision after yielding four runs over five innings at Detroit. The 35-year-old has fanned at least eight in eight of his 12 trips to the mound this season and ranks just outside the top 10 in the American League in strikeouts with 87. Machado is 8-for-31 with three home runs against Happ, who allowed one run and struck out nine across six innings to beat Baltimore on April 9.
WALK-OFFS
1. Blue Jays OF Curtis Granderson's 26 career homers versus the Orioles are his most against any opponent.
2. Ten of the 18 runs Baltimore has surrendered to the Blue Jays this season have come in the ninth inning or later.
3. Toronto has posted four straight quality starts for the first time since recording seven in a row from Sept. 21-28, 2016.