O's game blog: Looking to keep it going in Toronto

TORONTO – After two good nights for Orioles’ bats at Rogers Centre, producing 7-2 and 10-1 wins, the Birds look for three in a row against the Blue Jays tonight as this series continues.

Last night’s win improved the Orioles to 13-4 (.765) in American League East games and they are 3-1 versus the Blue Jays. The O’s also hold a 13-4 mark against the Blue Jays since the start of last season. And the Orioles are 9-1 in their past 10 games at Rogers Centre with a plus-39 run differential, outscoring the Blue Jays 66-27 in those games.

The Orioles are 6-2 in the first eight of 14 straight games within the division, playing in order, the Red Sox, Rays, Jays and Rays again.

The Orioles' plus-88 run differential for the year ranks third-best in the majors and second in the AL. The New York Yankees are first at plus-111. And New York (43-19) continues to lead the division by 2.5 games over the Orioles. The red-hot Yankees have won six in a row, 10 of 12 and 17 of their past 21 games.

Toronto had won five of its last six and nine of the past 14 heading into this series. But with Tuesday’s loss the Blue Jays are 28-32 and fall to 7-10 in division games. They have scored two runs or less 23 times this season including twice in this series.

The O’s Ryan Mountcastle improved his outstanding career numbers versus Toronto last night with his 10^th career multi-homer game and second of this season. He hit a three-run shot in the third and two-run blast that he hit 443 feet in the top of the fifth.

In 56 career games against Toronto, he is batting .316 with 17 homers, 48 RBIs and an OPS of .986. In 24 career games at Rogers Centre, Mountcastle has gone 29-for-91 (.319) with seven doubles, eight home runs, 26 RBIs and a 1.044 OPS.

The Baltimore offense has produced 17 runs this series, 29 the last four games, 52 in eight and they are 10-2 their past 12 games scoring 75 runs with a team OPS of .844 in this span.

And the pitching has certainly done its part this year and in a recent stretch as well.

Right-hander Corbin Burnes produced his eighth straight quality start last night allowing one run over seven innings. Burnes has an ERA of 1.97 his past eight games and in five games this season versus AL East clubs, is 3-1 with a 1.36 ERA.

Burnes owns a 2.26 ERA, good for fifth in the AL and eighth in MLB. That is the lowest ERA by an O's pitcher through his first 13 starts of a season since Jim Palmer posted a 2.12 mark through his first 13 starts of 1978. It is the third-lowest by a pitcher through their first 13 starts with the Orioles, behind Tom Phoebus with a 2.10 ERA from 1966-67 and Mike Cuellar with a 2.03 ERA in 1969. Burnes ranks tied for the MLB lead with 10 quality starts and ranks fourth with 79 2/3 innings pitched.

The last 20 games, Baltimore starters have allowed two earned runs or less 16 times with a rotation ERA of 2.51 in that span. The Baltimore bullpen has thrown scoreless ball five times the past six games with an ERA of 0.93.

O’s pitchers have allowed three runs on 13 hits this series and the two starters gave up two earned runs over 13 2/3 innings between Grayson Rodriguez and Burnes.

Right-hander Albert Suárez (2-0, 1.57 ERA) gets the start tonight making his 13^th appearance and sixth start. Since May 5 in nine games, two starts, Suárez had an 0.95 ERA, allowing two earned runs and 10 hits in 19 innings.

In his five starts only, Suárez is 1-0 with a 1.85 ERA. His past two games came as a stater and he allowed one run over a combined nine innings versus the White Sox and Rays.

He has been effective against both left and right-handed hitters, giving up a .192 average and .623 OPS to lefty batters. Those numbers are .200/.514 versus right-handed batters.

The O’s offense gets a real test tonight against right-hander José Berríos (5-4, 2.78 ERA). The team is 8-4 in his 12 starts and over 74 1/3 innings he has a 1.076 WHIP with a 2.2 walk rate and 7.0 K rate.

On May 13 he allowed two runs over seven innings against the Orioles. He has a stellar career record, going 10-1 with a 2.95 ERA in 15 starts against Baltimore batters, who have a .695 OPS against him.