Toronto @ Baltimore preview
Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Last Meeting ( Sep 5, 2012 ) Baltimore 4, Toronto 6
The Baltimore Orioles start a four-game series against the struggling Toronto Blue Jays with a doubleheader Monday, holding their postseason hopes squarely in their own hands. The Orioles come home for the next seven after winning six on a nine-game road trip. Baltimore lost the first two in Oakland and the last on Sunday in Boston. The Orioles are one game behind the Yankees in the American League East and lead the wild-card chase by a game over the Athletics and 3 ½ games over the Los Angeles Angels.
The Blue Jays have dropped six consecutive games and 10 of their last 12, falling to last place in the AL East. Toronto has scored two runs or fewer in four of the last six. Edwin Encarnacion, one of the bright spots for the Blue Jays, has 40 homers and enters Monday with five hits in his last 14 at-bats.
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, MASN2 (Baltimore), RSN (Toronto).
PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH Henderson Alvarez (9-13, 4.87) vs. Orioles RH Steve Johnson (3-0, 1.91)
Alvarez has been better his last three starts, going 2-1 while allowing eight runs over 20 1/3 innings. He is certainly not a strikeout pitcher, with just 69 punch outs in 175 2/3 innings. Alvarez went 0-1, giving up 11 hits and five runs in 14 innings, against the Orioles in April. Chris Davis is 4-of-8 with a homer and four RBIs against Alvarez.
Johnson makes his third major league start after winning his first two. He allowed two runs over six innings in both. Johnson has allowed three hits and no runs in 11 1/3 innings of relief since beating Toronto on Aug. 25 in his last start. The 25-year-old rookie has 37 strikeouts and 12 walks over 28 1/3 innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Baltimore pitcher Tommy Hunter struggled as a starter, but has pitched eight scoreless innings in relief since being recalled in September.
2. Toronto’s rookie infielder Adeiny Hechavarria was off Sunday after hitting in six straight games (7-of-21, four RBIs).
3. Baltimore has won nine of 14 games against Toronto this season, including all five at home.