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Blue Jays-Orioles Preview

Jul 17, 2010 - 3:53 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

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

No matter how well the Baltimore Orioles have played of late, it still hasn't been enough to beat the Toronto Blue Jays.

The visiting Blue Jays look for an eighth straight victory over the Orioles on Saturday night.

Baltimore (29-60) swept a four-game set at AL West leader Texas heading into the break, but the Orioles fell 4-2 to Toronto on Friday. The Blue Jays (45-45) are 7-0 against Baltimore this season, including 4-0 at Camden Yards.

Toronto, 1-8 at Camden Yards in 2009, has not won eight straight over the Orioles since Sept. 18, 2002-June 23, 2003.

Aaron Hill had three hits and homered for the second time in as many games, while shortstop Yunel Escobar went 1 for 4 in his Blue Jays debut. Escobar was acquired by Toronto in a five-player deal with Atlanta on Thursday.

"I'm really happy to get the opportunity to prove myself once again," said Escobar, who hit .238 and was chastised for some lackadaisical play while with the Braves.

Though Hill is hitting .196 with 13 home runs, he is 6 for 15 with three homers and four RBIs in four games against the Orioles this season.

Toronto hopes the All-Star break will help Brandon Morrow (5-6, 4.86 ERA) finally get a road victory.

The right-hander is 0-5 with a 6.80 ERA in nine starts away from home and winless on the road since Sept. 12. The former reliever gave up five runs and five walks in five innings of his only start against the Orioles, a 7-6 win at Baltimore on April 9.

Morrow went 2-1 with a 1.32 ERA during a five-start stretch, but is 0-1 6.75 ERA in his last three. He has allowed five runs in each game, including his latest in four innings of a 9-5 win over Boston last Saturday.

"Winning takes away a little bit of the frustration," Morrow told the Blue Jays' official website.

Baltimore counters with right-hander Jeremy Guthrie (3-10, 4.77), who will try for his first victory since May 25.

Guthrie, 0-6 with a 6.32 ERA in his last eight starts, allowed four runs in 4 2-3 innings of a 6-4 win at Texas on July 8.

His winless stretch started by giving up four runs in six innings of a 6-1 loss at Toronto on May 30. Guthrie is 2-5 with a 3.74 ERA in 12 starts against Toronto.

All-Star Ty Wigginton had two hits Friday for the Orioles, who have hit .216 and totaled 13 runs versus the Blue Jays this season.

"We had opportunities and we didn't get that one big hit," said interim Orioles manager Juan Samuel, whose team was held down after scoring 23 runs in Texas last weekend. "That's going to happen."

Batting .305 for the Orioles, Nick Markakis is 5 for 24 against Toronto this season after going 0 for 4 on Friday.