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Blue Jays, Orioles playing for pride

Sep 26, 2007 - 1:07 PM Toronto (80-77) at Baltimore (67-90), 7:05 pm EDT

BALTIMORE (Ticker) -- Two teams playing only for pride at this stage of the season will meet on Wednesday when the the Toronto Blue Jays continue their three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles.

The Blue Jays have been playing spoiler, taking three of four games from the first-place Boston Red Sox (93-64) and splitting a four game series with the New York Yankees (90-67), who trail the Red Sox by three games in the American League East Division, before traveling to Baltimore.

Meanwhile, the Orioles are finding it hard to snap out of their losing ways. Baltimore is 8-16 in September after posting a 9-19 record in August.

Victor Zambrano (0-2, 6.41 ERA) will look for revenge against his former team when he takes the mound for the Orioles on Wednesday.

Zambrano, who was released by the Blue Jays in July before being claimed off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates by the Orioles on September 9, is trying to prove that he is still worth a roster spot after undergoing two "Tommy John" surgeries on his pitching elbow.

The 32-year-old Venezuelan has been decent since joining the Orioles despite not yet factoring into a decision. Zambrano has allowed only one run and five hits in nine innings over a span of two starts.

With a win Wednesday, Blue Jays starter Roy Halladay (15-7, 3.71) will have 16 victories on the season, his most since winning 22 during his Cy Young season of 2003. Halladay pitched 8 2/3 strong innings in his last outing, giving up four runs - one earned - and eight hits to the New York Yankees. The Toronto ace did not factor into the decision even though the Blue Jays posted a 5-4 victory on Friday.