Toronto @ Baltimore preview
Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Last Meeting ( Jun 14, 2014 ) Toronto 2, Baltimore 3
The bat of Chris Davis has displayed signs of life since the calendar turned to June and the Baltimore first baseman looks to contribute again Sunday when the Orioles close a four-game set against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays. Davis delivered a tiebreaking two-run homer in Saturday’s 3-2 victory over the Blue Jays and has smacked four this month after entering June with only seven. Toronto has lost six of its last eight games as it attempts to gain a series split.
Davis had a career season with 53 homers and 138 RBIs in 2013 and the recent success leaves him with meager totals of 11 homers and 33 RBIs this season. “There’s no change in my approach,” Davis told reporters after Saturday’s game. “I’ve been doing everything I can to try to get back to feeling good in the box. I felt the last couple of days that I’ve started to click a little bit.” The Blue Jays' attack is struggling as third baseman Edwin Encarnacion has just one homer over his last 11 games and right fielder Jose Bautista has gone eight games without going deep.
TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, SNET (Toronto), MASN (Baltimore)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays LH J.A. Happ (5-3, 4.37 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Chris Tillman (5-3, 4.91)
Happ has lost two of his last three outings while giving up 12 earned runs in 17 2/3 innings. He lasted just 3 2/3 frames in a loss to Minnesota on Tuesday when he gave up four runs (three earned) and six hits. Happ is 0-1 with a 2.75 ERA in four career appearances (three starts) against Baltimore.
Tillman allowed one run and seven hits in six innings while falling to Boston in his last turn. He has just one victory while giving up 21 earned runs over his last five outings, and failed to record more than three outs in two of the starts. Tillman is 4-4 with a 3.99 ERA in 12 career starts against Toronto and is 1-1 with a 4.61 ERA in two outings this season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Orioles 3B Manny Machado has five hits over the past two games and is 6-for-11 in the series.
2. Blue Jays DH/1B Adam Lind (foot) departed Saturday’s contest and post-game X-rays were negative but it’s not clear if he will be available for the finale.
3. Baltimore CF Adam Jones is 5-for-10 against Happ and RF Nick Markakis is 4-for-10.
PREDICTION: Blue Jays 4, Orioles 3