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Orioles-Blue Jays Preview

Aug 6, 2009 - 11:08 PM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS Writer

Baltimore (45-62) at Toronto (51-56), 7:07 p.m. EDT

Since suffering his first career loss in May, Toronto Blue Jays left-hander Ricky Romero has developed into one of baseball's top rookie pitchers.

Baltimore Orioles rookie right-hander Jason Berken, meanwhile, hasn't won since earning his first major league victory in that matchup.

Romero takes the mound Friday night when the Blue Jays go for their sixth straight home win over the slumping Orioles.

After going 2-0 with a 1.71 ERA in his first three major league starts, Romero (10-4, 3.53 ERA) yielded season highs of five runs and 11 hits over 5 1-3 innings in a 7-2 loss to the Orioles at Camden Yards on May 26.

Making his major league debut in that game, Berken (1-9, 6.93) went five innings and allowed two runs to earn the win.

Berken, though, is 0-9 with a 7.21 ERA in 12 starts since that victory. Opponents are batting .313 against him during this stretch.

He surrendered six runs and seven hits in a season-low 1 1-3 innings in Sunday's 18-10 loss to Boston.

"He won his first game and hasn't gotten a win since," pitching coach Rick Kranitz told the Orioles' official Web site. "I think he's probably shaken, as he probably should be. He's got to pitch better."

That's exactly what Romero has done since losing to Berken and the Orioles. He is 8-3 with a 3.67 ERA since that defeat, going 7-1 in his last nine starts.

"(Romero) gives us an opportunity to win every single time," catcher Rod Barajas said after Romero beat Oakland 7-2 on Sunday to win his third straight start. "For a young guy he has composure on the mound. When he does give up runs, he gets his focus back where it needs to be."

Romero makes his first home start against the Orioles after going 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA in two outings in Baltimore.

The Orioles (45-63) return to Rogers Centre for the first time since getting swept from May 1-3. Baltimore has been outscored 51-20 while losing five straight in Toronto.

The Orioles, though, won five of six at home against the Blue Jays since their last series in Toronto, taking two of three from July 10-12 before the All-Star break.

Baltimore, which has an AL-worst 17-37 road record, is 5-15 since the break.

"When you are losing, it doesn't matter who you've been playing, it is still tough," manager Dave Trembley said following Thursday's 7-3 defeat at AL Central-leading Detroit. "But since the All-Star break, we've faced contenders the whole way. We had one series against Kansas City, but other than that, it is has all been top teams."

Toronto (51-56) was swept in a two-game series by AL East-leading New York this week and has dropped five of six at home. The Blue Jays are 11-19 at Rogers Centre since winning 18 of their first 24 there.

Shortstop Marco Scutaro batted .167 in three home games against the Orioles in May compared to .462 in six at Baltimore.

Orioles All-Star center fielder Adam Jones is expected to be in the lineup after sitting Thursday. He is batting .333 with a home run at Rogers Centre this season.