• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Blue Jays-Orioles Preview

Jul 15, 2010 - 7:58 PM By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer

Toronto (44-45) at Baltimore (29-59), 7:05 p.m. EDT

The Baltimore Orioles toiled through much of the first half of this season en route to the worst record in the major leagues, but headed into the All-Star break with some momentum.

In their first game back, the Orioles will try to earn a season-high fifth consecutive win and end a six-game losing streak to the sliding Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night.

While Baltimore (29-59) is on pace to eclipse its franchise-worst 107-loss season in 1988, it's coming off a surprising four-game sweep of the AL West-leading Rangers in Texas. The Orioles hit eight home runs while outscoring the Rangers 23-12, and their bullpen didn't yield an earned run for the fifth straight game in Sunday's 4-1 victory.

Those kind of performances could help manager Juan Samuel, who took over for the fired Dave Trembley on June 4, shed the interim tag. Eric Wedge, Buck Showalter and team announcer Rick Dempsey are among those being considered as manager.

Whoever gets that job would inherit a team currently near the bottom of the AL in runs scored, ERA and home runs allowed.

"We have some holes on the team," right fielder Nick Markakis told the Orioles' official website. "It's no secret. We know where we need to get better. I think that should be the focal point going forward from here."

Winning five straight for the first time since June 17-21, 2009, would help the Orioles' desire to improve, and they start a season-high, 10-game homestand against a Toronto team that's dropped 14 of 18 on the road.

The Blue Jays will also open the second half without Alex Gonzalez, who was tied for fifth in the AL with 43 extra-base hits and had 17 of Toronto's major league-leading 136 home runs. He was traded to Atlanta on Wednesday for Yunel Escobar in a swap of shortstops, and as part of a five-player deal.

While Gonzalez was hitting .259 with 50 RBIs, Escobar has struggled following a career year with a .238 average, no homers and 19 RBIs. General manager Alex Anthopoulos, however, is hopeful Escobar can return to the form that saw him bat .299 with career-best 14 home runs and 76 RBIs last season.

"We feel that Yunel Escobar will absolutely turn it around," he said."There's certainly an element of risk there, but we feel he has a very good opportunity to turn it around."

Toronto (44-45) will open a 10-game road trip by starting left-hander Ricky Romero (6-6, 3.71 ERA), who has an 11.25 ERA while dropping a career-high three consecutive starts. He's also 1-4 with a 7.27 ERA in his last five road outings.

Romero won his only start this season against the Orioles on May 30, and is 1-2 with a 4.33 ERA in five career matchups.

Baltimore will counter with Brad Bergesen (3-6, 6.40), who is 0-4 with a 7.22 ERA in seven starts since beating Seattle on May 12. The right-hander is 1-0 with a 5.19 ERA in three career starts against Toronto, but did not get a decision in a 7-6 home loss April 9 - the start of a three-game sweep by the Blue Jays.

Before that series, Toronto had dropped nine of 11 at Camden Yards.