The Baltimore Orioles think they are on the right track, and they will have another chance to prove it Friday night when they visit the Toronto Blue Jays in the opener of a three-game series.
The series comes after the teams split four contests at Baltimore from May 28-31. The Orioles won the final two games of that set before taking two of three from the Boston Red Sox to open a six-game trip.
The Orioles scored six runs in the first inning of an 8-2 win over the Red Sox on Thursday in the series finale. Baltimore has won nine of its last 13 games, which is the reason for the team’s optimism.
“It’s really satisfying,” said Taylor Ward, who was 3-for-5 with an RBI on Thursday. “I think during this stretch, we’ve been playing the baseball we should have been playing all year. You know, it’s just part of the game, but it’s great, and hopefully we keep it rolling.”
The Orioles are tied for third place in the American League East with the Blue Jays and will try to build on the momentum from Thursday.
“It was a great job by our offense coming out ready from pitch one,” Baltimore manager Craig Albernaz said. “Obviously, Wardy setting the tone. It was a great job grinding out at-bats, getting good pitches to hit, running the bases aggressively.”
The Blue Jays, meanwhile, salvaged the finale of a three-game series against the Atlanta Braves on Thursday with a 7-2 victory, snapping a four-game losing streak.
Toronto will return from a 3-4 trip to open a nine-game homestand.
Toronto’s Trey Yesavage (2-2, 2.19 ERA) is scheduled to start Friday’s game against Baltimore’s Brandon Young (3-1, 3.35) in a battle of right-handers.
The series opener will be a rematch of Saturday’s game in Baltimore, a 6-5 win for the Orioles. Neither starter factored into the decision. Baltimore won following a five-run ninth inning.
Yesavage, who faced the Orioles for the first time, allowed a career-high seven walks and one run in five innings.
“It’s frustrating,” he said. “I’m a professional baseball player. Shouldn’t be walking seven guys. But the defense stood tall behind me and backed me up and got me out of some jams. …
“It was one of those days I was spraying all over the place. Got to look back at some video and see what was going on. But I don’t know. It was one of those days.”
It was unusual for Yesavage, who has been superb since making his major league debut last September.
“He labored,” catcher Tyler Heineman said. “It’s pretty amazing that he got five innings in and only allowed one run. That just means he did a really good job of bearing down when he needed it.”
Young allowed two runs with seven strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings in opposing Yesavage. In two career starts against Toronto, Young has a 2.84 ERA without a decision.
Toronto’s Nathan Lukes went 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI Thursday to stretch his hitting streak to a career-best 11 games. Ernie Clement and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. each had three hits.
Right-hander Chad Dallas, the second of six Toronto pitchers in a bullpen game, allowed one run in 3 2/3 innings to earn the win in his major league debut.
Dallas was promoted on Thursday from the taxi squad, with right-hander Hayden Juenger optioned to Triple-A Buffalo. Right-hander Tanner Andrew was designated for assignment.
–Field Level Media
