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Litsch, Blue Jays tackle Orioles

Sep 18, 2008 - 10:17 AM Baltimore (67-83) at Toronto (81-71) 7:07 p.m. EDT

TORONTO (Ticker) -- Jesse Litsch has enjoyed a string of stellar starts at Rogers Centre and will look to continue that run when the Toronto Blue Jays take on the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday.

The teams split the first two games of the series, with Chris Waters throwing a complete-game shutout for Baltimore in the opener, a 2-0 victory, before Toronto captured Wednesday's matchup, 8-7.

Litsch (11-8, 3.75), who has made seven of his last 10 starts away from home, is glad to be back under the Rogers Centre dome. The righthander has not allowed a run in his last two starts at home, highlighted by a complete-game four-hitter against the Minnesota Twins on September 4.

The 23-year-old is 6-2 with a 2.78 ERA in 11 home starts this season. In his last six starts overall, Litsch is 3-1 with a 1.76 ERA and did not allow a run in three of those appearances.

Garrett Olson (9-8, 6.84) will look to rebound from the worst start of his young career for the Orioles. The 24-year-old allowed six runs, five hits and a walk in two-thirds of an inning in a 12-6 loss to the Minnesota Twins.

Olson has struggled away from Oriole Park at Camden Yards, posting a 4-6 record with a 7.59 ERA in 13 starts.

The lefthander is 0-1 with a 14.04 ERA in two starts against Toronto this year, including an outing of 3 2/3 innings in Toronto on July 9 during which he allowed seven runs, seven hits and four walks.