O's game blog: Kevin Gausman on the mound in Toronto

TORONTO - On this current road trip, the Orioles have scored two, one, four and one run. They actually won two games in New York, but they've lost the last two nights in Toronto. The Blue Jays (28-35) host the Orioles (19-43) this afternoon in the third game of the series and fifth of the road trip.

The Orioles have scored eight runs on 23 hits at Citi Field and Rogers Centre. In last night's 5-1 loss, Craig Gentry went 3-for-3 and the rest of the Baltimore lineup was 2-for-28.

The Orioles have gone 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position the past two games. They are 5-for-42 (.119) with RISP the last nine games and are batting .161 with RISP their last 22 games.

The Orioles have scored one run or fewer five times in nine games and 18 on the season, and that leads the majors. They've scored 22 runs the last 12 games and 50 in the past 21. They have scored three or fewer in 17 of the last 21 games, going 6-15 in that stretch.

Toronto is getting well at the Orioles' expense. Before this series opened, the Blue Jays had lost seven of eight and were 1-10 in their last 11 home games. But now Toronto is 4-1 this year against the Orioles and 6-16 against everyone else in the American League East.

Toronto pitchers have recorded five consecutive quality starts. It is their best stretch since seven in a row Sept. 21-28, 2016. The Orioles have seen their starters throw four consecutive quality starts and have gotten eight in their last nine games with a rotation ERA of 3.25. But they've gone 2-7, scoring just 16 runs.

On the mound today, right-hander Kevin Gausman (3-5, 4.63 ERA) gets the ball for Baltimore. Over his past two starts against Tampa Bay and the New York Yankees he allowed 13 runs (12 earned) in eight combined innings. His ERA was 3.48 before those games. In his eight previous starts, he went 3-2 with a 2.72 ERA. Gausman has six quality starts for the season, and the O's are 4-8 in his games.

Right-hander Aaron Sanchez (3-5, 4.48 ERA) gets the start for Toronto. Two starts ago he allowed seven runs over five innings versus Boston. But in his last start he gave up just one run and two hits in six innings against Detroit.

In 12 starts, Sanchez had a WHIP of 1.492. He's allowed 8.3 hits per nine innings, 1.1 homers per nine, with 5.2 walks and 7.2 strikeouts. Toronto is 4-8 in Sanchez's starts in 2018. But one win was at Baltimore April 10, when he gave up just one Orioles run in eight innings. In 16 career games (11 starts) versus Baltimore, he is 6-3 with a 3.97 ERA and 1.479 WHIP.

Adam Jones had one hit in the eighth last night. Over his last 29 games, Jones is batting .336. Gentry's three hits last night matched his season high. He had a stolen base, and has swiped nine in 11 attempts on the year. Over his last 25 games, Danny Valencia is batting .341 with four homers and 12 RBIs.