Toronto @ Baltimore preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 24, 2012 ) Toronto 9, Baltimore 5

The Baltimore Orioles are farther behind the New York Yankees in the American League East than they have been at any point in the last three weeks - 1 1/2 games. The Orioles had the chance to keep it within a game but were outslugged by the Toronto Blue Jays in the nightcap of a doubleheader on Monday. Baltimore has five more games against the bottom of the AL East, including two more against the last-place Blue Jays.

The Orioles are still leading the wild card race by 1 1/2 games and have won seven of nine. Even Monday night’s 9-5 setback included a pair of chances for Baltimore to get back into the game, but bases-loaded opportunities in the sixth and ninth resulted in only one run each time. The Blue Jays snapped a seven-game losing streak with the win and are trying to get around to playing spoiler after struggling in the last week against New York and Tampa Bay. Toronto will have another four-game series against the Yankees over the weekend to try to put its stamp on the division.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, RSN (Toronto), MASN 2 (Baltimore)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays LH Aaron Laffey (3-6, 4.80 ERA) vs. Orioles LH Joe Saunders (2-2, 3.48)

Laffey has not won since Aug. 5 and has not made it through four innings in either of his last two starts. The veteran swingman issued five walks at New York last Thursday and was reached for five runs (four earned) on two hits in three innings to suffer the loss. Laffey has not started against Baltimore in 2012 but has made seven career appearances - one start - against the division rivals, going 1-0 with a 1.69 ERA in 10 2/3 total innings.

Saunders is coming off possibly his best start since joining the Orioles last month, an eight-inning effort in which he allowed one run on five hits at Seattle. The other candidate for best start with Baltimore came on Sept. 3, when the veteran left-hander yielded three hits in 6 1/3 scoreless frames to pick up a win against Toronto. Saunders has made eight starts in his career against the Blue Jays, posting a 3-4 record with a 3.38 ERA.

WALK-OFFS

1. Baltimore LHP Randy Wolf will undergo an MRI exam on his left elbow on Tuesday. Wolf felt discomfort in his last inning of work on Saturday.

2. Toronto C J.P. Arencibia had been 2-for-37 with no homers and no RBIs in September before exploding for a grand slam and five RBIs in Monday’s nightcap.

3. Orioles CF Adam Jones went 6-for-9 in Monday’s doubleheader and has multiple hits in five of the last six games.