Final
Blue Jays, Orioles battle for first place
Apr 14, 2008 - 1:26 PM Toronto (7-5) at Baltimore (7-5) 7:05 pm EDTBALTIMORE (Ticker) - With all the hype the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees earn in the national media, it's the Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles who currently sit atop the American League East.
The Blue Jays will look to move in to sole possession of first when they visit the Orioles on Monday.
Baltimore shot out of the gate on fire, winning six of its first seven games, but has fallen on hard times of late, dropping four of its last five. The Orioles dropped a 6-2 decision at Tampa Bay on Sunday when Brian Burres allowed six runs in the fifth inning.
The bullpen, which had an ERA of under 1.00 during the club's first-week surge, allowed eight runs in 2 2/3 innings in Friday's 10-5 loss to the Rays.
Toronto is coming off a three-game sweep of the Texas Rangers. Closer B.J. Ryan came off the disabled list and pitched for the first time since last April on Sunday, tossing a scoreless 10th inning to earn a save.
The Blue Jays will send Dustin McGowan (0-0, 3.27 ERA) to the mound on Monday. The 26-year-old righthander has been the victim of poor run support in his first two outings.
McGowan has allowed two earned runs in each of his first two starts, striking out 11 in 11 frames, but has yet to earn a decision. He is 0-2 with a 7.52 ERA in six games - three starts - in his career against Baltimore.
The Orioles will counter with righthander Matt Albers (1-0, 0.00), who came over from the Houston Astros this winter in the Miguel Tejada trade. The 25-year-old will be making his first start for Baltimore after three bullpen appearances.
- AL
FINAL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
TORONTO 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 9 2
BALTIMORE 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 x 4 13 1 (FINAL)
BATTERIES: TOR - DUSTIN MCGOWAN, BRIAN TALLET (7TH), JASON FRASOR (8TH) AND
GREGG ZAUN
BAL - MATT ALBERS, JIM JOHNSON (6TH), JAMIE WALKER
(8TH), CHAD BRADFORD (8TH), GEORGE S
Apr 14 10:05 PM - AL
AT BALTIMORE - SCORING UPDATE
TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY ALEX RIOS (1) TO LEFT WITH 1 OUT IN THE
9TH OFF GEORGE SHERRILL SCORED VERNON WELLS.
CURRENT SCORE: TORONTO 3, BALTIMORE 4
DUE UP FOR TORONTO: S STEWART (.250, 0-FOR-3)
Blue Jays 3, Orioles 4 Top 9, 0 OutsApr 14 10:01 PM - AL
AT BALTIMORE - SCORING UPDATE
SACRIFICE FLY BY RAMON HERNANDEZ SCORED AUBREY HUFF.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, J PAYTON ON SECOND, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: TORONTO 1
BALTIMORE 4 BOTTOM, 8TH
DUE UP FOR BALTIMORE: A JONES (.268, 3-FOR-3)
Blue Jays 1, Orioles 4 Bot 8, 0 OutsApr 14 9:45 PM - AL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
TORONTO 1 0 0 0 0 1 5 2
BALTIMORE 1 0 0 0 2 3 8 0 (TOP 6)
CURRENT PITCHERS: TOR - DUSTIN MCGOWAN
BAL - MATT ALBERS
DUE UP FOR TORONTO: M STAIRS (.310, 1-FOR-2)
A HILL (.333, 1-FOR-2)
V WELLS (.327, 1-FOR-2, RBI)
Blue Jays 1, Orioles 3 Top 6, 0 OutsApr 14 8:48 PM - AL
AT BALTIMORE - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY KEVIN MILLAR SCORED BRIAN ROBERTS.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, K MILLAR ON FIRST, M MORA ON SECOND, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: TORONTO 1
BALTIMORE 1 BOTTOM, 1ST
DUE UP FOR BALTIMORE: A HUFF (.244, 2 HR, 11 RBI)
Blue Jays 1, Orioles 1 Bot 1, 0 OutsApr 14 7:28 PM - AL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
TORONTO 1 1 3 0
BALTIMORE 0 0 0 (BOT 1)
CURRENT PITCHERS: TOR - DUSTIN MCGOWAN
BAL - MATT ALBERS
DUE UP FOR BALTIMORE: B ROBERTS (.311, 1 HR, 5 RBI)
M MORA (.227, 2 HR, 5 RBI)
N MARKAKIS (.333, 1 HR, 4 R
Blue Jays 1, Orioles 0 Bot 1, 0 OutsApr 14 7:19 PM
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