Toronto @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 25, 2014 ) Toronto 5, Pittsburgh 22

After averting a three-game sweep in Kansas City, the Toronto Blue Jays continue an eight-game road trip when they visit the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday in an interleague matchup of two struggling clubs. Toronto's beleaguered pitching staff had surrendered at least seven runs five times during a 1-6 stretch before a 7-3 win in the series finale versus the Royals. Brandon Morrow looks to rebound from an ugly outing when he opposes Pittsburgh's Gerrit Cole.

The Pirates had the best interleague record in the majors in 2013 at 15-5, but they were unable to reverse their struggles in their first matchup with an American League opponent, dropping a doubleheader in Baltimore on Thursday. Pittsburgh has lost seven of its last eight while failing to score more than two runs six times during that span. Pitching carried the Pirates to its first playoff berth since 1992 last year, but they have only three wins from starters in 28 games - two by Cole.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, RSN (Toronto), ROOT (Pittsburgh)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH Brandon Morrow (1-2, 6.04 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Gerrit Cole (2-2, 3.18)

Morrow did not allow a hit in his last outing, but he'd rather bury the memory of a disastrous stint in which he walked a career-high eight batters and yielded four runs in only 2 2/3 innings of a loss at Boston. He has gone past five innings in only one of his five starts, when he fanned a season-high nine in six innings against Houston on April 9 - his only victory. Morrow has issued 14 walks and struck out 11 in a combined 11 1/3 innings over his past three outings.

Like Morrow, Cole is winless in his last three turns despite back-to-back strong starts in which he has permitted only two runs in 15 frames, including a 1-0 loss to St. Louis last time out. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 draft has pitched at least six innings in 13 consecutive regular-season starts dating to Aug. 16, 2013. Cole endured some struggles at home during last year's rookie campaign, but he has yielded only five runs in his last four starts at PNC Park.

WALK-OFFS

1. Blue Jays LF Melky Cabrera, who set a club record with 41 hits in the first month of the season, missed Thursday's game with a shin contusion.

2. Pirates LF Starling Marte was 3-for-7 with two RBIs in Thursday's doubleheader after being dropping to seventh in the batting order.

3. Blue Jays RF Jose Bautista has reached base in all 28 games.

PREDICTION: Pirates 4, Blue Jays 3