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Blue Jays-Orioles Preview

Jul 12, 2009 - 5:48 AM By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer

Toronto (44-44) at Baltimore (38-48), 1:35 p.m. EDT

It's safe to say Baltimore's Dave Trembley and Toronto's Cito Gaston have experienced a lot of disappointment over the first half of the season.

With the managers expected to return to their respective dugouts Sunday, they will try to lead their teams into the All-Star break on a positive note in the finale of a three-game series at Camden Yards.

For the second straight season, both teams have sunk to the bottom of the AL East. After finishing 68-93 during Trembley's first full year in 2008, the Orioles (39-48) begin play 14 games behind first place Boston.

The Blue Jays (44-45), meanwhile, have dropped to 10 games back after leading the division on May 23. On that day, Gaston was 78-51 in his second stint with the team he led to world titles in 1992 and 1993, but Toronto has gone 17-31 since then to drop under .500 for the first time this year.

The teams split two games with interim managers at the helm. With Gaston attending his sister's funeral in Texas, bench coach Brian Butterfield led Toronto to a 2-0 win Friday.

In Baltimore's 4-3 victory in 12 innings Saturday, Melvin Mora snapped a 50-game homerless streak to give bench coach Dave Jauss his first victory in place of Trembley, who was suspended two games for his actions following his ejection Tuesday night in Seattle.

"Melvin picked a good time to get one, didn't he?" said Trembley, who watched the game in a stadium suite. "Everybody dreams of that - a walk-off and win the game at home in extra innings. That's a special moment."

Trembley now will try to lead Baltimore back-to-back series wins for the first time in three weeks, and right-hander Brad Bergesen (5-3, 3.59 ERA) will try to earn his first victory this month after winning three of five starts in June.

Bergesen, who has recorded three straight quality starts, was outdueled in Monday's 5-0 loss in Seattle as Baltimore managed one hit.

"I'll take Brad Bergesen for the way he pitches, the way he competes, the way he keeps us in the game" Trembley said.

Bergesen did not factor in a 5-4 loss in 11 innings in Toronto on May 2.

He'll try to give the Orioles their fourth win in five games with help from the hot-hitting Luke Scott. The outfielder extended a career-high 11-game hitting streak Saturday with his team-best 18th home run.

Scott is hitting .357 (15 for 42) for four homers and 13 RBIs during his run.

Baltimore is expected to face its seventh straight left-hander starter as they step into the box against Toronto rookie Marc Rzepczynski (0-0, 1.50).

Rzepczynski allowed one run and two hits over six innings while striking out seven in his major league debut Tuesday in Tampa Bay but did not get a decision in a 3-1 loss in 11 innings.

"He pitched a lot better I think than all of us felt he was going to pitch," Gaston said.