O's game blog: In search of a four-game split

The Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays wrap up their four-game series this afternoon at Oriole Park. Toronto posted wins by 11-2 and 5-2 Thursday and Friday. The Orioles won 6-4 last night as Trey Mancini hit a three-run homer and drove in four runs.

Following today's game the Orioles play 10 straight games against American League division leaders. They host the New York Yankees for three and Houston Astros for three, before beginning a road trip with four games over three days at Yankee Stadium.

The Orioles (37-73) have played 110 games with 52 to go. They are 6-6 against Toronto and 17-32 against AL East teams. They are 6-5 over the past 11 games, 9-7 in 16 and 15-15 over the last 30.

Toronto (45-68) saw its five-game win streak end Saturday night. It was the Blue Jays' first loss after a 5-0 start to a 10-game road trip. The Blue Jays are 11-11 since the All-Star game.

Right-hander Jimmy Yacabonis (1-2, 7.34 ERA) is expected to serve as an opener today for the Orioles. He has made three starts, the most recent was July 25 in Anaheim when he gave up one run over two innings to the Angels.

Right-hander Tom Eshelman (0-2, 6.35 ERA) is expected to follow Yacabonis to the mound, same as he did that game at Angel Stadium. The Birds acquired him on June 9 from Philadelphia for international bonus money.

On the West Coast trip he had two outings that were homecomings for him. It started with the game at Anaheim when he allowed one run over 4 1/3 innings. Eshelman pitched in college at nearby Cal State-Fullerton.

On Tuesday he pitched at San Diego and allowed four runs and seven hits over four innings. He grew up in Carlsbad, Calif., which is about 30 miles north of San Diego.

Starting for Toronto is right-hander Sean Reid-Foley, the 23-year-old second-round pick of the Blue Jays in 2014 out of a Jacksonville, Fla. high school.

Reid-Foley has thrown 17 2/3 innings this year at the big league level allowing 15 hits and two homers with 10 walks to 16 strikeouts. On Tuesday at Kansas City, he got the start and pitched five scoreless innings of four-hit ball on 92 pitches. Going back to an outing on July 2, he has two straight scoreless outings for Toronto covering 8 1/3 innings.

In 18 games this season for Triple-A Buffalo, he has gone 3-4 with a 6.26 ERA and 1.573 WHIP. He faced the Orioles in relief on April 1 at Rogers Centre and gave up five runs (three earned) and four hits over two innings. Jonathan Villar homered against him in that game.

Villar needs six home runs to mark the eighth time in Orioles history that a player has hit 20 home runs and also has 20 stolen base in a season. This would be the first 20/20 season since Manny Machado (35 HRs/20 SBs) accomplished the feat in 2015. Villar would become the sixth different player to record at least 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in a season. Outfielder Brady Anderson did so three times (1992, 1996, 1999). In MLB this season, Atlanta's Ronald Acuña Jr. (26 HRs/25 SBs) and Milwaukee's Christian Yelich (36 HRs/23 SBs) have already accomplished the feat.