Can Orioles end struggles at Toronto's Rogers Centre?

TORONTO - The Orioles need to prove they can beat the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. If they can't do it today, they'll be looking up at the Blue Jays in the standings.

Last night's 6-5 loss was frustrating for the team and its fans. Kevin Gausman could not follow up some recent good outings. The Orioles could not start the series off on the right foot. The O's got frustrated at home plate umpire Manny Gonzalez and saw another replay call they thought would go in their favor not go that way on a Hyun Soo Kim line drive that was ruled foul. Their lead atop the American League East is down to a half-game over Toronto and 1 1/2 games over Boston.

They've had better nights and now they need to have a good day with a 1:07 p.m. game in Toronto. They need to beat this team and show us that we are not looking this weekend at two ships passing in the night.

The Orioles have lost four in a row, scoring 11 runs, and are averaging just 2.9 runs per game in going 7-8 since the All-Star break. Meanwhile, Toronto has won seven of 10 and is 15-6 in its last 21 games. In that span the Blue Jays are averaging 5.9 runs per game. And while the Orioles starting pitching is inconsistent, Toronto is tied for first in the majors with 65 quality starts, going 45-20 in those games.

Gausman gave up three homers to the first five batters he faced Friday night and allowed six runs over three innings. Manager Buck Showalter was asked about Gausman in the first inning this year. It's an inning where his ERA is 5.50 and he has allowed eight of his 19 home runs. He has not given up more than three homers in any other inning.

"Lot of good pitchers do (struggle in the first)," Showalter said. "You'd like it to be perfect every time out, it's not. Lot of times, he's able to find his step after the first inning. We scored a couple, they scored three. We got right back in it. Some real heads-up baserunning by Manny (Machado). Good to see Manny have a good night. Got real patient at the plate and that bodes well. Kevin never really found his step. Vance (Worley) was good again. We got Brad (Brach) back out there and some good things happened."

Worley gave up just one hit over four scoreless innings in relief of Gausman that lowered his ERA to 2.89. It was his first outing of four or more scoreless innings since June 21, 2015 pitching for Pittsburgh at Washington.

Now a few more notes on the Orioles' play at Rogers Centre:

* They are 1-4 there this year and have allowed 36 runs, 52 hits and 10 homers.

* O's starting pitchers have worked 20 1/3 innings in those games allowing 23 runs (22 earned runs).

* O's pitchers have given up 27 runs the last three games at Rogers Centre.

* The Orioles have lost four in a row and six of seven in that ballpark. They are 4-10 there since the start of the 2015 season.

* Since 2006, the Orioles are 30-67 in Toronto.

They need to turn it and soon as this afternoon Yovani Gallardo (3-2, 5.37 ERA) pitches against lefty J.A. Happ (13-3, 3.27 ERA).