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Fresh off late rally, Blue Jays bid to fluster Orioles again
The Toronto Blue Jays have found answers even with an evolving lineup, and that might be one of the biggest parts of their emerging confidence midway through their series with the Baltimore Orioles.
The teams will meet Saturday afternoon in the third contest of a four-game series in Baltimore.
The Blue Jays have a pair of one-run victories to start the series, including rallying from a five-run hole for Friday night’s 6-5 victory.
Toronto is 8-2 in its last 10 games. Manager John Schneider has found the right combinations, including from second baseman Charles McAdoo, who homered in his first big-league game Friday.
“Just really honing in on where I want to swing the bat and where I want the ball to start,” McAdoo said before the series about his approach upon his promotion to the major leagues.
There was lots for the Orioles to dissect after the late-inning struggles. But manager Craig Albernaz said he remains confident in reliever Yennier Cano even though he had troubles in the eighth inning and suffered the loss.
“We love the matchups with Cano, and he has been throwing the ball extremely well,” Albernaz said. “We were more than comfortable bringing him in there.”
The Orioles weren’t able to generate offense in the late innings, however.
“Thought we swung the bat really well the first half of the game, and sometimes that happens,” infielder Jackson Holliday said. “Sometimes they make good pitches and hitting is really hard.”
There were encouraging parts of the performance for the Orioles. Holliday hit his second home run of the week.
“I feel good,” he said. “I feel like I’m seeing the ball good. I’ve enjoyed working with the hitting guys and trying to keep simple thoughts up there. I’m happy with where I’m at.”
Right-hander Trey Yesavage (2-2, 2.25 ERA) will start for Toronto on Saturday and will try to maintain a clean slate of keeping the ball in the park. He hasn’t given up a home run in 32 innings this season.
Since starting the season on the injury list, Yesavage expanded his durability to a season-high 98 pitches in Monday’s 6 2/3-inning stint in an 8-2 home loss to the Miami Marlins. He’s a key part to what at times has been a patchwork rotation.
In Yesavage’s six starts this season, the Blue Jays have alternated wins and losses, so based on that trend they’re due to win Saturday. He has never faced the Orioles.
Schneider said Yesavage has been more deserving than what some of the results have produced this season.
Right-hander Brandon Young (3-1, 3.47 ERA) will start for the Orioles on Saturday. He will look to build off Sunday’s outing vs. the Detroit Tigers, who he held to two unearned runs in a season-high 6 2/3 innings of Baltimore’s 5-3 win.
The Orioles are 6-1 in games in which Young has pitched. Last July, in his only career matchup against Toronto, he had a no-decision while tossing six innings and allowing two runs.
–Field Level Media
