Baltimore @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 31, 2016 ) Toronto 5, Baltimore 3

The Toronto Blue Jays and the Baltimore Orioles have been left behind by the Boston Red Sox in the American League East but are still in line for the two AL wild card spots. The Blue Jays will try to ensure themselves homefield advantage in the wild card game when they host the Orioles in the opener of a three-game series on Tuesday.

Baltimore trails Toronto by one game for the top AL wild card spot and leads both Detroit and Seattle by two games for the second slot. The Orioles briefly slipped behind the Tigers last week before ripping off a three-game sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks over the weekend that included three straight strong pitching performances and a total of four runs allowed. The Blue Jays were on the verge of their own series sweep on Monday before Jason Grilli tried to close it out and instead surrendered a pair of home runs in the ninth inning as the New York Yankees stole a 7-5 win. That game, which snapped a string of six straight contests with the Toronto staff allowing three or fewer earned runs, featured a pair of benches-clearing brawls.

TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, MASN (Baltimore), Sportsnet (Toronto)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Kevin Gausman (8-11, 3.57 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Aaron Sanchez (13-2, 3.12)

Gausman is a candidate to start for Baltimore in a potential wild card game and is going for the first time in a week on Tuesday after having his start over the weekend pushed back due to an intercostal strain. The LSU product had a string of five straight wins come to an end against Boston on Sept. 20, when he allowed five runs and 10 hits over 6 1/3 innings. Gausman did not fare well at Toronto on July 29, when he was ripped for six runs on six hits - three home runs - and three walks in three innings.

Sanchez could be Toronto's wild card starter and is prepared to pitch as much as needed down the stretch despite concerns about his career-high workload. The 24-year-old is getting an extra day of rest after holding the Seattle Mariners to one run on four hits across six innings on Wednesday without factoring in the decision. Sanchez is 3-0 with a 3.38 ERA in four starts against the Orioles this season, with the lone no-decision coming despite seven strong innings at home on July 31.

WALK-OFFS

1. Blue Jays 2B Devon Travis left Monday's game with a shoulder injury and is day-to-day.

2. Baltimore rookie DH Trey Mancini is 5-for-11 with three home runs in his first four major-league games.

3. Toronto RF Jose Bautista is 9-for-23 with three homers and eight RBIs in the last six games.

PREDICTION: Orioles 3, Blue Jays 2