Orioles hope to avoid sweep in Toronto
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(SportsNetwork.com) - The Baltimore Orioles look to avoid a fourth straight loss and a sweep against the Toronto Blue Jays Thursday at Rogers Centre.
The Orioles have lost three in a row after winning four of five games, and dropped a 4-2 decision to the Blue Jays on Wednesday. After taking a 2-0 lead in the third inning on Jimmy Paredes's home run, Toronto went ahead for good with a pair of runs in both the fourth and fifth innings.
Justin Smoak cracked a two-run homer in the fourth inning, then Devon Travis belted a two-run shot in the fifth off Orioles starting pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez, who lasted five innings and fell to 1-1 on the season. Jimenez struck out six and walked three batters.
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Jays starter Aaron Sanchez did not fare much better in the win, but was able to work out of trouble. He only allowed two hits and two runs in 5 1/3 innings, and walked seven batters.
"It was a battle for him, especially early," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said of Sanchez. "Even though he walked those guys, I thought he looked more confident."
Baltimore is 2-4 on a seven-game road trip and will return to Camden Yards this weekend for a nine-game stay versus Boston, Chicago (White Sox) and Tampa Bay.
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Chris Tillman gets the call for the O's Thursday and is 2-1 with a 5.52 earned run average in three starts. Tillman threw 6 2/3 innings of one-run ball in his season debut on April 6 at the Rays, then was shelled for seven runs in just 2 2/3 innings on April 12 versus Toronto.
Tillman bounced back in Saturday's 4-1 win over the Red Sox and yielded a run over 5 1/3 innings. In 15 career starts against the AL East-rival Blue Jays, Tillman has a 4-7 record and a 4.68 ERA.
The Blue Jays have won three of four games and are 4-5 on a 10-game homestand.
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Toronto, which will start a 10-game trek this weekend against Tampa Bay, Boston and Cleveland, hopes Drew Hutchison can pitch the club to a sweep of the Orioles this evening.
Hutchison is 1-0 with a lofty 7.20 ERA in three starts and has recorded two straight no-decisions. In last Friday's 8-7 loss to Atlanta, Hutchison was reached for five runs -- four earned -- in 4 2/3 innings. He has given up 11 earned runs in the past two outings.
The right-handed Hutchison was rocked by Baltimore for seven runs in 4 1/3 innings of a 10-7 win on April 12 at Camden Yards. He has made nine career starts against the Orioles, going 4-1 with a 3.25 ERA.
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The Blue Jays won two of three against the Orioles from April 10-12.