Toronto @ San Diego preview
Petco Park
Last Meeting ( Jun 15, 2010 ) Toronto 2, San Diego 8
Ricky Romero's previous visit to California was one he'd like to forget.
A trip down the I-5 freeway may be just the thing to get the second-year left-hander back on track.
Romero returns to his home state Wednesday as he leads the Toronto Blue Jays into the rubber match of their three-game interleague series with the San Diego Padres. The Jays opened the set with a 6-3 victory Monday night, while the Padres responded with an 8-2 rout a night later.
The Jays' chances of winning the series will depend heavily on how Romero (5-3) bounces back from his previous start. The 25-year-old was tagged for four runs on seven hits in just five innings as Toronto dropped a 5-3 decision to the Colorado Rockies. Romero allowed two home runs in that outing after surrendering just four in his previous 12 starts.
Romero would also like to erase the memory of a disastrous start in his native Los Angeles three weeks ago. Making his first hometown appearance in front of dozens of friends and family members, Romero was stung for seven runs on 11 hits and didn't get out of the sixth inning in an 8-3 loss to the Angels.
Romero is hoping to fare better at Petco Park, 100 miles down the coast from Los Angeles. Since starting the season 4-1, Romero has just one win in his last five decisions - a complete-game six-hitter in a 6-1 win over Baltimore on May 30.
The Blue Jays offense will need to be sharper if it hopes to lead Romero to his sixth victory of the season. Toronto managed just five hits Tuesday against San Diego starter Mat Latos and a trio of relievers, continuing its struggles at the plate that have contributed to the team's dismal 2-6 mark on its current nine-game road trip.
The Jays' upcoming homestand doesn't offer much solace, either.
Toronto will host the San Francisco Giants and the National League Central-leading St. Louis Cardinals before playing three "home games" against the Phillies in Philadelphia.
That caps a stretch of eight straight series against teams above .500 for Toronto, which has gone 4-9 in June to fall seven games back of Tampa Bay and the New York Yankees in the American League East race.
But first, there's the Padres, who send veteran right-hander Kevin Correia (5-4) to the mound. Correia also opened the season 4-1, but he too has struggled of late, winning just once in his past seven outings. He earned a no-decision in his last start, allowing three runs over six innings of a 4-3 win over the Seattle Mariners.
Tuesday's win was a big one for the Padres, allowing them to maintain their razor-thin lead atop the NL West. San Diego is a half-game up on the Los Angeles Dodgers while the Giants are lurking just 1 1/2 games back.