Baltimore @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 11, 2016 ) Baltimore 6, Toronto 11

The Toronto Blue Jays are trying to make a move in the American League East and a series win over the Baltimore Orioles would help. The Blue Jays will try to earn a series victory when they host the Orioles in the finale of the four-game set on Sunday.

The Orioles took the series opener on Friday to run its winning streak to five straight but fell off the pace in the last two contests to fall back into a virtual tie with the Boston Red Sox atop the AL East. The Blue Jays have crawled to within 3 1/2 games of the top spot with wins in the last two games behind the resurgence of Edwin Encarnacion. The slugger went hitless in four straight games before belting a walk-off blast in the 10th inning of Friday’s 4-3 win and continued his destruction of baseballs by going 3-for-3 with two home runs, a double and five RBIs in Saturday’s 11-6 win. Baltimore’s pitching staff allowed a total of three runs in a four-game span but surrendered 20 in the last three contests.

TV: 1:07 p.m. ET, MASN, WJZ (Baltimore), Sportsnet (Toronto)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Ubaldo Jimenez (3-6, 6.21 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Aaron Sanchez (5-1, 2.91)

Jimenez finally turned in a solid start on Tuesday against Kansas City, allowing one run despite nine hits and three walks in five innings. The Dominican Republic native failed to go six innings in any of his last six starts and yielded at least five runs in all but the last turn. Jimenez did not factor in the decision against Toronto at home on April 20, when he gave up two runs on five hits and four walks in five innings.

Sanchez carried a shutout into the ninth inning at Detroit on Tuesday but settled for a no decision while being charged with two runs and three hits when closer Roberto Osuna allowed the tying run to score. Sanchez struck out 12 in a strong effort and has punched out 76 in a total of 80 1/3 innings on the season. The 22-year-old has made eight career appearances – three starts – against the Orioles in his brief career and owns a 1-2 record with a 5.14 ERA.

WALK-OFFS

1. Orioles 1B Chris Davis homered in each of the last four games.

2. Toronto LF Michael Saunders homered in the last two games and recorded at least one extra-base hit in four of the last five.

3. Baltimore OF Joey Rickard went 3-for-5 on Saturday, matching his hit total from his previous 15 games.

PREDICTION: Blue Jays 10, Orioles 3