O's held to five hits, fall 3-2 at Toronto
Gregg Zaun's pinch hit two-run double in the 6th put Toronto ahead by a run and the Blue Jays won over the Orioles by that 3-2 margin Thursday night. Toronto takes the series, 2-1.
Winning pitcher Jesse Litsch, 12-8, gave up two runs over six innings. Losing pitcher Garrett Olson, now 9-9, gave up three runs over 5 2/3 innings.
The O's loaded the bases with one out in the 9th vs. BJ Ryan, but Melvin Mora popped out and Brian Roberts grounded out to the end the game.
The Orioles, who have lost 21 of 27 games, have not won a series since mid August and are 0-8-1 in the last nine series.
Toronto, which is 10-5 this season vs. the O's, is 8-1 in its last nine home games. The Jays are 47-32 since Cito Gaston took over as manager on June 20.
Zaun's two-out, two-run pinch double gave Toronto a 3-2 lead in the sixth. It scored Adam Lind, who reached on a fielders' choice and Lyle Overbay, who singled.
Jays starter Litsch walked the bases loaded in the O's fifth. With two outs, Alex Cintron's two-run single put the Orioles ahead, 2-1.
Jose Bautista hit a solo homer in the bottom of the first as Toronto took a 1-0 lead. Bautista hit a 3-2 pitch out to left for his third homer.
Balt 2-5-0
Tor 3-6-1
Postgame Notes
With back-to-back one-run losses in Toronto, the Orioles have now lost seven straight one-run decisions......The 4-3 suspended game win over Chicago counts on April's record......The O's last one-run win was a 7-6 decision at New York on July 29th......The O's are 20-27 on the year in the one-run games, but are just 2-17 since June 18th.
The O's were held to five hits, just one after the fifth inning, and all five were singles......It's the first time they failed to pick up an extra-base hit since August 19 vs. Boston.
Brian Roberts went 0-4 snapping his seven-game batting streak......Oscar Salazar went 1-2 and is 6-18 during a five-game batting streak.....Nick Markakis was 0-4 ending his six-game streak......Aubrey Huff went 1-4 with a single and is batting .388 the last 17 games......Kevin Millar went 0-3 and is 0-18 in his last six contests.
Toronto closer BJ Ryan has 31 saves this season in 35 tries and has 5 saves on the year vs. the Orioles......In 14 career games vs.the O's, Ryan is 1-0 with 11 saves and a 1.20 ERA.
The O's fall to 4-11 in September, 21-42 vs. the AL East and 31-47 on the road....Toronto improves to 12-5 in September, 14-5 in its last 19 games and 35-23 in the second half.
Steve Melewski's Live GameBlog
O's Single-Season Doubles Leaders
50 - Brian Roberts, 2004
50 - Miguel Tejada, 2005
49 - Brian Roberts, 2008
48 - Aubrey Huff, 2008
47 - Cal Ripken, 1983
47 - Nick Markakis, 2008
46 - Cal Ripken, 1991
The O's have an excellent chance to become the first team ever in Major League history to have three players with 50 or more doubles. In only 10 seasons ever have three players in the Majors on any teams had 50 or more doubles.
Olson Out
Yes, that was a quick hook on Garrett Olson in the Jays 6th. On the other hand he hasn't done enough this year to convince his manager to let him go much further. He left with two outs and a 2-1 lead and of course the two-run double by Zaun put Toronto ahead. He's not the luckiest guy either and all three runs were charged to his record. I thought he should have been left in to get that last hitter but also can understand why he wasn't.
Olson's line: 5 2/3IP, 4H, 3R-ER, 3BB, 1K, 1 HR.....99 pitches.
Yankees Probables
Fri 7:05pm: Radhames Liz (6-5, 6.90) vs. RH Carl Pavano (3-1, 5.26)
Sat 1:05pm: O's TBA vs. RH Alfredo Aceves (1-0, 1.80)
Sun 8:45pm: Chris Waters (3-3, 4.75) vs. LH Andy Pettitte (13-14, 4.57)
Orioles' Single-Season Extra-Base Hits Leaders
92 - Brady Anderson, 1996
85 - Cal Ripken, 1991
85 - Frank Robinson, 1966
82 - Aubrey Huff, 2008
81 - Miguel Tejada, 2005
80 - Rafael Palmeiro, 1998
2008 Major League Leaders - Extra-Base Hits
82 - Aubrey Huff, O's
78 - Ryan Braun, Milw
77 - Lance Berkman, Hous
76 - Nate McLouth, Pitt
75 - Albert Pujols, SL
Huff has 48 doubles, 2 triples and 32 homers to lead all the Majors in EBH. He leads the AL race in this category by 9 as Jermaine Dye has 73. As you can see above, Huff should finish at least with the second best O's season ever in EBH and needs to go a bit to catch Brady Anderson.
Game is Underway
Tonight's O's-Jays game has begun at Rogers Centre. The O's, with a win tonight, would have their first series win since mid August vs. Detroit. The O's are 17-31 in series finales.
Trembley's Talk
Dave Trembley told reporters today in Toronto that an MRI showed that Daniel Cabrera has a sprained elbow. He is not expected to pitch again this season.
Trembley said Melvin Mora's hamstring is still sore and he is limited. He said he would not name Saturday's starter vs. the Yankees until the team gets to New York tomorrow.
Trembley is not starting Adam Jones tonight.
"I think it's good to get him off a surface like this. Asking him to play three days in a row here, coming off a foot injury, would be asking a lot. I full expect him to play all three days in New York. We could use him late in the game tonight."
Trembley said Jeremy Guthrie did some long tossing today and looked good. Guthrie will throw a side session Saturday at Yankee Stadium.
Starting Lineups
Orioles
2B Brian Roberts
SS Alex Cintron
RF Nick Markakis
3B Aubrey Huff
1B Kevin Millar
LF Luke Scott
DH Oscar Salazar
CF Jay Payton
C Omir Santos
P Garrett Olson
Blue Jays
SS Marco Scutaro
2B Jose Bautista
RF Alex Rios
CF Vernon Wells
DH Adam Lind
3B Scott Rolen
1B Lyle Overbay
C Curtis Thigpen
LF Travis Snider
P Jesse Litsch
Game Preview
Orioles (67-83) at Toronto (81-71)
The Orioles looked like they were coasting to a third straight win last night, leading Toronto 6-0 in the fifth. But the Jays rallied to an 8-7 win to tie the series at a win each. The series finale is set for tonight at Rogers Centre.
O's starting pitching put together 21 consecutive scoreless innings before the Jays got to Brian Bass for five runs in the 5th to start their rally.
Travis Snider knocked in the game-winning run with a sac fly in the 8th inning. Aubrey Huff hit a two-run homer and Melvin Mora a two-run single that gave him 101 RBI on the year.
Toronto improved to 13-5 in its last 18 games and 34-23 since the All-Star break.
The Orioles have lost seven and tied one in their last eight series. They could end that run and win this series with a victory tonight.
The Orioles, now 5-9 on the season vs. Toronto, need to win at least three of their remaining 11 games to top last year's win total of 69 games.
Pitching Match-Up
LHP Garrett Olson (9-8, 6.84) tonight makes his 25th start of this season, his 14th on the road and his third this season vs. Toronto.
Olson is coming off the shortest outing of his 31-start career when he lasted just 2/3 of an inning Saturday night vs. Minnesota. Olson allowed five hits and six runs and threw just 27 pitches.
Over his last four starts, Olson is 1-2, 12.86 (20ER - 14 IP). Olson allows a batting average of .325 vs. left-handed batters and .313 vs. righty hitters. Olson has given up 15 of his 16 homers vs. right-handed hitters.
Olson has recorded just 7 quality starts on the season. In 13 road starts, he is 4-6, 7.59. The Orioles are 11-13 when Olson starts, losing four of the last six outings.
Olson's ERA by month:
April: 2.70
May: 4.31
June: 5.81
July: 8.77
August: 8.68
September: 10.95
Olson is 0-1, 14.05 in two starts this year vs. Toronto and, in three career starts vs. the Jays, is 0-2, 14.73 (18ER - 11 IP).
RHP Jesse Litsch (11-8, 3.75) tonight is set to make his 26th start of the season, his 12th at home and his second of the year vs. the Orioles.
Litsch hasn't given up a run in three of his last six starts and is 3-1, 1.76 in those outings. His ERA was 1.37 in August and is 2.11 in three September starts.
Litsch has pitched two shutouts on the season. He 7-hit Kansas City on May 24th and 4-hit Minnesota September 4th.
Litsch is 6-2, 2.78 in 11 home starts. The Jays are 11-15 when he takes the mound this year. In 45 career starts, the 23-year-old Litsch is 18-17, 3.78.
Litsch vs. the Orioles:
2008: 0-1, 11.57, one start (July 21st......4 2/3IP, 7H, 6R-ER)
2007: 1-2, 3.57 in three starts
Career: 1-3, 5.24, four starts covering 22 1/3 innings
O's Hitters Recently:
Castro: 4-16
Cintron: 3-11
Hernandez: 1-14 the last four games
Huff: Batting .397-4-15 with 9 2B the last 16 games
Jones: 4-20
Markakis: Batting .450-2-5 during six-game hitting streak
Millar: 0-15 his last five games
Montanez: 6-27 at bat
Mora: Against Jays this year is 20-50, 3 HR, 18 RBI
Payton: 4-27
Quiroz: 1-19
Salazar: During four-game hit streak is 5-16/3/6
Roberts: Batting .429 during seven-game hit streak, 2 RBI his last 14 games
Scott: 4-16 over five games
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