Baltimore @ Toronto preview
Rogers Centre
Last Meeting ( Sep 1, 2011 ) Toronto 8, Baltimore 6
THE STORY: Two pitchers in desperate need for a victory square off Friday night as Jeremy Guthrie and the Baltimore Orioles tangle with Brett Cecil and the host Toronto Blue Jays. Guthrie is the major-league leader in losses and has been particularly unfortunate against Toronto. Cecil is facing his own share of struggles, having gone without a win since late July.
TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, MASN2 (Baltimore), RSN (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Jeremy Guthrie (6-17, 4.45 ERA) vs. Blue Jays LH Brett Cecil (4-8, 4.60 ERA)
Guthrie isn't necessarily the worst pitcher in baseball, but that hasn't prevented him from racking up the most losses in the majors over the past three seasons. He struggled mightily last time out, allowing seven runs - three earned - in just five innings of an 8-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. Guthrie is 2-7 in 18 career starts versus the Blue Jays, but has a respectable 3.67 ERA in that span.
Cecil won 15 games a season ago, but he hasn't come close to duplicating that success in 2011. The 25-year-old is 0-4 over his last seven starts dating back to July 29. He was tagged for five runs on six hits over six innings in a 9-3 loss to the New York Yankees five days ago. Cecil is 3-0 in five career starts against Baltimore, with a 2.93 ERA over 30 2/3 innings.
ABOUT THE ORIOLES (57-85): Making teams work for their victories is about all the Orioles can hope to accomplish at this stage of the season. Facing yet another fifth-place finish in the American League East, Baltimore had some fun at the expense of the division-leading Yankees. After facing off in a three-game series at Yankee Stadium beginning last Monday, the teams were forced to play a fourth straight contest Thursday afternoon - this time at Camden Yards - because their original game had been postponed because of Hurricane Irene. Baltimore prevailed 5-4 in 10 innings, earning its second straight extra-inning victory over New York.
ABOUT THE BLUE JAYS (72-72): Toronto has relied on a greater number of rookies than in seasons past, and with the campaign down to its last few weeks, the club is giving several first-year players extended looks. Thursday's rookie du jour was slugging prospect David Cooper, who fashioned his first career three-hit game to lead the Blue Jays to a 7-4 win over the Boston Red Sox. Cooper had just four hits in 33 career at-bats entering the night. The final 18 games will give Toronto a legitimate opportunity to assess which players will be candidates for the 2012 roster, and which will require additional seasoning in the minors. Toronto is hitting .277 with 10 home runs in 173 at-bats against Guthrie.
FINAL PITCH: Recent visits to Canada have been mostly unpleasant for the Orioles - they're just 12-40 in their last 52 games at the Rogers Centre.