O's game blog: Orioles need a win to avoid a sweep at Rogers Centre

In the bunched up American League East standings, the Orioles find themselves in fourth place for the second time this year. But at 7-8, they are just two games out of first place.

They have fallen back with a three-game losing streak, during which they've been outscored 24-9.

Last season, the Orioles were not swept in a three-game series by any AL East team. The last time it happened was against the team that can do it tonight. Toronto swept the O's three straight at Rogers Centre from June 21-23, 2013. The Blue Jays need a win for the three-game sweep tonight.

Coming into this series, the Blue Jays had lost five of seven games, but they are now 6-2 in their last eight games against the Orioles and 4-1 this year by a combined score of 40-27.

Toronto is batting .307 against O's pitching in 2015 with an OPS of .912. The O's team ERA in the season series is 8.37 and their starting pitchers have covered just 20 innings in the five games, allowing 27 hits and 28 runs for an ERA of 12.60.

Tonight, Chris Tillman (2-1, 5.52 ERA) pitches against 24-year-old right-hander Drew Hutchison (1-0, 7.20 ERA).

Tillman gave up seven runs over 2 2/3 against the Blue Jays April 12. He is 4-7 with a 4.68 ERA in 15 career starts versus Toronto and is 2-4 with a 5.81 ERA over eight career Rogers Centre starts.

Over his last six road starts, Tillman has allowed just one earned run in five of the six starts, posting a 4-1 record and a 2.19 ERA. Since the beginning of 2014, Tillman is 10-1 with a 3.99 ERA over 18 starts on the road and leads all MLB pitchers in that span with a .909 road winning percentage.

Since the start of the 2012 season, Chris Davis has hit 22 home runs against Toronto while Adam Jones has hit 18 over that span.

Orioles Head Athletic Trainer Richie Bancells will be away from the team today and Friday as he will be honored by Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond, Kentucky with their Outstanding Alumnus Award for the Department of Exercise and Sport Science. Bancells is in his 28th season as the Orioles' Head Athletic Trainer, his 32nd year with the big league club and his 39th in the organization.

Triple-A Norfolk got two-run homers from Nolan Reimold and Rey Navarro and a solid outing from Eddie Gamboa in a 4-3 win this afternoon over Gwinnett at Harbor Park. Gamboa gave up two runs over five innings to gain his first win.

Steve Johnson and Chaz Roe combined for three scoreless innings before Oliver Drake gave up a run in the ninth before recording his second save. Norfolk is 9-6 heading into Friday's home game when Tyler Wilson (1-1, 3.60 ERA) gets the start.

Double-A Bowie has added infielder Garabez Rosa from Norfolk, while outfielder Michael Burgess goes on the DL retroactive to April 22.