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Blue Jays-Orioles Preview

Apr 11, 2010 - 3:37 AM By KATE HEDLIN STATS Writer

Toronto (3-1) at Baltimore (1-3), 1:35 p.m. EDT

Shaun Marcum was cruising in his opening day start before running into trouble.

Since then, things have gone much smoother for the Toronto Blue Jays.

Marcum goes for his first win when he takes the mound Sunday as Toronto tries to complete a three-game road sweep of the Baltimore Orioles for the first time since 2004.

A six-game road trip didn't seem an ideal way for the Blue Jays (4-1) to open the season after they were 30-51 away from home in 2009. However, after a 5-4 loss to Texas on Monday, Toronto has rebounded to win four straight, including a 3-0 victory over Baltimore (1-4) on Saturday.

Dana Eveland gave up five hits in 7 1-3 innings while Jose Molina had two hits and two RBIs.

Eveland's outing improved Toronto's rotation to 2-0 with a 2.77 ERA since Marcum's start on Monday. Three of the four starting pitchers since have made it through the sixth inning.

Marcum (0-0, 3.86 ERA) will try to extend the winning streak. After missing all of last season while recovering from elbow surgery, the right-hander was solid in his first start since September 2008, holding Texas hitless until giving up a one-out single in the seventh. He walked the next batter and then served up game-tying three-run homer.

"Watching Shaun pitch, he's where he wants to be," center fielder Vernon Wells told the Blue Jays' official Web site. "This early, looking that good, throwing strikes with everything, I think that's the most encouraging thing about this game."

Marcum, who is 1-2 with a 6.04 ERA in eight starts and two relief appearances against the Orioles, will look to help Toronto complete the road sweep. While the Blue Jays won six of their first eight road games last season, they didn't sweep a team away from home until taking three straight at Philadelphia from June 16-18.

Toronto last swept a series in Baltimore in August 2004.

The Orioles, who scored 11 runs in the previous two games, had six hits Saturday, but stranded seven. They had runners on first and second with one out in the ninth but Matt Wieters struck out and Nolan Reimold popped out to end the game.

Baltimore is trying to avoid a 1-5 start for the first time since 2002 when the team dropped six of its first seven.

"We've played competitive baseball. The games are close," manager Dave Trembley said. "We haven't gotten big hits when we needed them."

Kevin Millwood (0-0, 3.60) will try to help the Orioles bounce back. He pitched five innings opening day against Tampa Bay, allowing two runs and nine hits in five innings of a 4-3 loss on Tuesday.

The right-hander is 2-4 with a 5.33 ERA in nine starts against the Blue Jays. He had a 2.45 ERA in two starts last season against them, splitting the decisions.

Wells, who went 0 for 3 Saturday with two walks, has struggled against Millwood, going 3 for 19.

Baltimore second baseman Brian Roberts (abdominal sprain) did not play Saturday and is expected to be sidelined for the next several days. Julio Lugo started in his place and had two hits.

The Orioles went 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position Saturday and are 8 for 46 (.176) in such situations this season.

Center fielder Adam Jones is in a 1-for-17 skid since getting three hits on Opening Day.