Listen Live: Toronto Blue Jays at Baltimore Orioles [Live Audio] MLB
Where: Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore, Maryland
The Baltimore Orioles have dropped off the pace in the American League East, but they have a chance to quickly make up ground when they host the division-leading Toronto Blue Jays on Monday in the opener of a three-game series. Baltimore salvaged the finale of a three-game set at the New York Yankees on Sunday to remain three games behind Toronto.
The Orioles were stomped by a combined 27-9 in the first two games at New York before halting a three-game skid with a 5-0 victory Sunday, getting a pair of homers to push their total to a major league-best 204. Mark Trumbo has gone deep in back-to-back games and tops the majors with 40 homers, but he has yet to connect in 13 games against the Blue Jays this season. Baltimore's pitching staff will be tested by a Toronto offense that produced 32 runs and nine homers in a three-game sweep of the Minnesota Twins. Reigning AL MVP Josh Donaldson put on a show against the Twins, going 6-for-10 with four homers, nine RBIs and six runs scored.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, TVA Sports MASN (Baltimore)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH Marco Estrada (7-6, 3.47 ERA) vs. Orioles LH Wade Miley (8-10, 5.51)
Estrada's ERA has jumped up by more than half a run in his last two starts after he was shelled for six runs on 10 hits over five innings in a loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday. He served up three homers over four innings in a no-decision versus the Yankees in his previous turn and has surrendered six blasts during a three-start stretch. He is 1-0 with a 3.71 ERA in three starts versus Baltimore this season.
Miley earned his first victory in five starts since he was acquired by Seattle at the trade deadline, giving up a pair of runs over five innings to beat the Washington Nationals. The 29-year-old was rocked for six earned runs in each of his previous two turns but managed to escape with a pair of no-decisions. Miley dropped to 1-3 with a 6.04 ERA versus the Blue Jays after tossing six innings of two-run ball on July 24.
WALK-OFFS
1. Donaldson is riding a seven-game hitting streak overall, but he's batting only .212 this season versus Baltimore.
2. Orioles 3B Manny Machado, who went 7-for-14 against the Yankees, is batting .388 against the Orioles this year.
3. Toronto leads the season series 7-6.
PREDICTION: Blue Jays 5, Orioles 4