Baltimore @ Toronto preview
Rogers Centre
Last Meeting ( Jul 18, 2010 ) Toronto 10, Baltimore 1
There are no guaranteed wins in the major leagues – except, it seems, when the Toronto Blue Jays face the Baltimore Orioles.
The Blue Jays will look for their 10th straight victory against the Orioles as the teams begin a three-game series at the Rogers Centre on Monday night. Toronto is coming off a four-game road split against the Detroit Tigers, while the Orioles dropped three of four to the Minnesota Twins.
Toronto has been hovering around the .500 mark for the past several weeks, and would find itself even worse off if not for its utter dominance against the Orioles this season. The Blue Jays are 9-0 against the Orioles so far in 2010, outscoring them, 48-16, along the way.
The Blue Jays cruised past Baltimore in their previous series in Toronto, routing them, 16-3, over the three-game set back in late May. Toronto starters Shaun Marcum, Brett Cecil and Ricky Romero each earned victories in the series, allowing a combined three runs over 23 sensational innings of work.
Toronto finished off a 6-4 road trip by splitting a doubleheader with Detroit on Sunday. Lyle Overbay's tiebreaking two-run homer in the ninth inning was the difference as the Blue Jays won the opener, 5-3, while Ryan Raburn belted a bases-loaded double in the eighth inning as the Tigers took the nightcap, 6-5.
Baltimore finished off a dismal 2-8 homestand with a 10-4 loss to the Twins on Sunday. The Orioles are just 18-33 at home, and will look to improve on a major league-worst 13-34 mark away from Baltimore beginning Monday.
The Orioles send Brad Bergesen (3-8) to the mound in the series opener. The 24-year-old right-hander has been one of the worst starters in the majors to date, and is 0-6 over his last 11 outings. His 6.51 ERA is the third-highest in the majors among pitchers with at least 15 starts.
Bergesen struggled against the Tampa Bay Rays his last time out, charged with five runs on nine hits over 5 1/3 innings. The 2004 fourth-round pick matched a season high with seven strikeouts, but that was the only bright spot in the 5-4 loss.
Bergesen has made four career starts against Toronto, owning a 1-1 record with a 5.40 ERA over 23 1/3 innings. He last faced them 10 days ago, allowing four runs over six innings on the way to a 4-2 loss.
Toronto counters with righty Brandon Morrow (6-6). Making the start on his 26th birthday, Morrow hasn't pitched since beating the Orioles nine days ago. He was solid throughout, allowing two runs on five hits over seven innings while striking out eight.
Morrow is 1-0 with a 3.26 ERA lifetime against the Orioles.