Baltimore @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 3, 2012 ) Baltimore 4, Toronto 0

Labor Day has come and gone, and the Baltimore Orioles remain in the American League playoff race. The surprising Orioles are one game behind the New York Yankees in the East as they play the Blue Jays in Toronto on Tuesday. Baltimore struck first in the three-game set, with three relievers combining on a three-hit shutout Monday afternoon. The Orioles and Yankees face off in a four-game beginning Thursday in Baltimore. If they Orioles do not catch the Yankees, there is always the wild card route. Baltimore is 1 1/2 games ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays for the final spot.

Sophomore left-hander Zach Britton takes the mound for the Orioles. The 24-year-old brings a three-game winning streak into this one, and cruised past the Blue Jays 10 days ago at Camden Yards. He'll be opposed by Blue Jays right-hander Carlos Villanueva, who has been mostly strong since being inserted into the starting rotation in late June. He lost his previous showdown with Britton on Aug. 24, but has been sensational at the Rogers Centre this season and is coming off a solid outing against Tampa Bay.

TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, MASN2 (Baltimore), RSN (Toronto)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles LH Zach Britton (4-1, 4.80 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Carlos Villanueva (7-4, 3.10)

Britton has been nearly unhittable over the past two weeks, limiting opponents to three runs over 21 2/3 innings while striking out 21. He struck out a career-high 10 over eight innings in his previous outing, a 5-3 triumph over the Chicago White Sox. Control issues that plagued him in his rookie 2011 season have been greatly curtailed; Britton has issued only five free passes in his last three outings and didn't walk a single White Sox batter last time out.

Villanueva halted a personal four-game losing skid in style, limiting the playoff-contending Rays to five hits over six scoreless innings while striking out seven. Villanueva's strikeouts are up considerably over a season ago - he is averaging better than one per inning - and he has pounded the zone of late, issuing only four walks in his last four starts. Villanueva is 2-1 with a 4.40 ERA in seven career appearances against Baltimore, including four starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. J.J. Hardy has had Villanueva's number. The veteran shortstop, who drove in a pair of runs in Monday's win, is 7-for-12 lifetime versus Villanueva.

2. Baltimore is 16 games above .500 for the first time since the end of the 1997 campaign. That was the last time the Orioles posted a winning record.

3. Villanueva is 5-1 with a 2.44 ERA in 18 home appearances, including seven starts.