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New-look Blue Jays battle Orioles in rubber match

Jul 28, 2011 - 2:49 PM (Sports Network) - The Toronto Blue Jays should have Colby Rasmus in the lineup this evening when they play the rubber match of their three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles at Rogers Centre.

Toronto was busy on Wednesday, as it acquired righty Edwin Jackson from the Chicago White Sox as part of a four-player deal, only to ship him and outfielder Corey Patterson, as well as pitchers Marc Rzepczynski and Octavio Dotel, to St. Louis for a package of players, highlighted by the talented Rasmus.

The 24-year-old former first round pick had fallen out of favor with Cardinals manager Tony La Russa. He was hitting just .246 with 11 home runs and 40 RBI in 94 games this season.

"I've been after Colby for a while but I just didn't have the pieces," Toronto general manager Alex Anthopoulos said. "I had the bullpen but I didn't have the starter. That was really the missing piece. I was just on a starter hunt to try to get somebody that could facilitate a trade to the Cardinals, because I knew I had half the components but not all of them."

The Jays then took care of business on the field, as Ricky Romero was dominant, going 8 1/3 innings for Toronto in a 3-0 shutout of the Orioles.

Romero (8-9) gave up four hits while fanning nine and walking three to earn his first win in five starts. Jon Rauch recorded the final two outs in the ninth to pick up his eighth save of the season.

"On a night when we needed Ricky to go deep, he certainly did that," Blue Jays manager John Farrell said. "He got into a much better rhythm from the third inning on, a much more consistent feel to his curveball and his cutter. He just did an outstanding job tonight."

J.P. Arencibia blasted a solo homer, while Eric Thames and Yunel Escobar each finished with a pair of hits for the Blue Jays, who have won 10 of their last 15 games.

Alfredo Simon (2-4) threw 103 pitches in just five innings to absorb the loss. He fanned a career-high seven hitters and walked two in the middle tilt of this three-game series.

Adam Jones picked up two hits for Baltimore, which was unable to build on a 12-4 thrashing of the Blue Jays on Tuesday.

Tonight, the Jays turn to righty Carlos Villanueva, who is 5-2 with a 3.40 ERA. Villanueva did not get a decision on Saturday in Texas, as he allowed three runs and 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings of his team's 5-4 loss.

Villanueva is 1-0 in three games (two starts) against the O's with a 3.52 ERA.

Baltimore, meanwhile, will counter with righty Brad Bergesen, who will be trying to string back-to-back wins together for the first time this season. Bergesen defeated the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on Saturday, holding them to a pair of runs and six hits in six innings to run his record to 2-6, while lowering his ERA to 5.54.

Bergesen has faced the Blue Jays six times and is 2-2 with a 5.54 ERA.

Toronto has won five of eight this season from the O's after taking 15 of the 18 matchups a year ago.