The Toronto Blue Jays will head down to Maryland to begin a three-game set with the Baltimore Orioles on Friday. Toronto is coming off a disappointing end to their series with Houston, dropping the third game after winning the first two, while Baltimore has turned things around after a slow start, winning three of its last four games. <\/p>\n
Toronto Blue Jays (5-5) at Baltimore Orioles (4-5)<\/strong>
\n Date: Friday, April 11, 2014<\/strong>
\n Time: 7:05 PM ET<\/strong>
\n Venue: Oriole Park at Camden Yards<\/strong>
\n City: Baltimore, Maryland<\/strong>
\n O\/U Odds: 8.5<\/strong>
\n Money Line: Baltimore -128, Toronto +118<\/strong>
\n Pitching Matchup: RH Dustin McGowan (0-1, 13.50 ERA) at RH Chris Tillman (1-0, 1.35 ERA)<\/strong>
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The pitching matchup for this contest look very different than it did earlier in the week. The initial matchup had been R.A. Dickey for the Blue Jays, and Bud Norris for the Orioles, but things have changed a lot since those two were tabbed to face off.<\/p>\n
Dickey was moved ahead a day and started Thursday night\u2019s game in Toronto against Houston, while Dustin McGowan\u2019s start was pushed back a day. As for Norris, he\u2019s had his start pushed back a day to Saturday and game two in this series, with Chris Tillman set to toe the rubber in the series opener.<\/p>\n
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Tillman is not an ideal matchup for the Blue Jays. He\u2019s had a strong pair of outings to begin the year, coming away from those performances with a 1.35 ERA and 1.05 WHIP, helping the Orioles to a pair of wins. He took to the mound five times against the Blue Jays in 2013, posting a 3.31 ERA, and helping the Orioles to wins in each of his first three starts against them.
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\nAs for McGowan, his start to the year wasn\u2019t as memorable. Many within the Blue Jays organization remain high on McGowan, a draft pick from 2000, as his stuff has never been in question. His ability to stay on the field, on the other hand, has really derailed his career.<\/p>\nWith McGowan as healthy as he\u2019s been in years and set to return to the team\u2019s starting rotation, many were excited at the prospect of what the right-hander would bring to the team. His first start didn\u2019t exactly go the way that many imagined it would, as he surrendered four runs on eight hits in 2 \u2154 innings of work.<\/p>\n
The Blue Jays are 8-22 in McGowan\u2019s last 30 road starts.<\/p>\n
The Blue Jays bring a better base record to this contest, but the Orioles have played a tougher schedule, with season-opening series against the defending-champion Red Sox, the always tough Tigers, and the much improved Yankees. Even still, they come into this matchup having won three of their last four games. They also have the added benefit of getting this game following a day off, a situation in which they are 26-13 over the last three seasons.<\/p>\n
The Orioles are 9-2 in Tillman\u2019s last 11 starts as a home favorite.<\/p>\n