Orioles 3 - 9 Blue Jays
Final
  for this game

Jays' Dickey takes ball in opener with O's

Apr 22, 2014 - 2:38 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - R.A. Dickey will try to solve his control problems on Tuesday night when the Toronto Blue Jays begin a three-game series with the Baltimore Orioles.

Dickey is 1-3 with a 6.26 earned run average through four starts this season, walking 15 in 23 innings. He hurled 6 2/3 scoreless innings versus the New York Yankees in his lone victory on April 5, but has yielded 16 runs over 16 1/3 innings in the three losses.

The 39-year-old righty gave up five runs on seven hits and five walks over 4 1/3 frames of a 7-0 loss at Minnesota on Thursday.

"I just didn't execute when I needed to make a big pitch, and they put good swings on them," Dickey said. "I'd get a good count and then really try to finish guys, and they would do a good job of laying off really good pitches."

Dickey is 2-4 with a 4.67 ERA in his career versus the Orioles.

Walks were an issue in Toronto's 6-4 setback to the Cleveland Indians on Sunday. Reliever Aaron Loup walked the bases loaded in the sixth inning before giving up a go-ahead three-run double to David Murphy.

"Walks hurt you," Toronto manager John Gibbons said. "These guys laid off it pretty good. And of course Murphy ends up getting the big hit there. We made a run at it late, it just didn't happen."

Jose Reyes and Jose Bautista each collected an RBI and a run scored for the Blue Jays, who failed to secure the three-game sweep and wrapped a nine-game road trip 5-4.

The swing began with the Blue Jays taking two of three in Baltimore from April 11-13.

Toronto did not face Baltimore righty Miguel Gonzalez in that series, but will do so tonight.

Gonzalez is coming off his first victory in three starts this season as he hurled five scoreless innings versus Tampa Bay on Wednesday, working around three hits and three walks while striking out six.

The 29-year-old is 1-1 with a 6.28 ERA on the year and 4-2 lifetime versus Toronto with a 3.00 ERA.

The Orioles are coming off a split of a four-game set with the Boston Red Sox, winning Monday's Patriots' Day finale 7-6.

Baltimore rushed out to an early lead thanks to a six-run third inning, but had to hold on not long after blowing a five-run lead in Sunday night's setback.

"They always push, they always battle and we expect that from them," said Orioles first baseman Chris Davis about the Red Sox. "I was just proud of the way we hung in there and got the (win)."

Baltimore had seven different batters drive in a run and all nine starters had at least one hit. Davis went 1-for-2 with an RBI and a pair of walks to tie a career high by reaching base in 17 straight games.






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