The Baltimore Orioles try to draw closer to the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League East on Friday when the divisional foes continue a four-game set at Camden Yards.
Baltimore trimmed the Blue Jays' lead atop the division to 3 1/2 games on Thursday, as Delmon Young hit a two-run homer to help the O's take a 4-2 win.
The Orioles handed Mark Buehrle his second straight loss, knocking him around for eight hits and four runs in 6 1/3 innings to help Baltimore win for the third time in four tries.
Kevin Gausman (2-1) picked up his second win in a row, allowing a run on five hits and three walks over six frames. The former first-round pick was coming off his first win as a starter on Saturday against Oakland, when he struck out six in seven innings and gave up just four hits and one run.
"He didn't quite have the command he had last time out," said Orioles manager Buck Showalter, "but that's kind of hard to duplicate."
Buehrle (10-3) remained tied with Yankees rookie Masahiro Tanaka for the MLB lead in wins. He also lost to St. Louis on Saturday despite giving up just one run in seven innings, snapping a seven-start unbeaten streak
The scuffling Blue Jays have lost five of their last six on the heels of an 18-3 stretch. They've also managed just nine runs in that span.
"As hot as we were, we were going to cool off sooner or later," Toronto manager John Gibbons said. "We'll get it going. We're too good of an offense. We'll be OK."
Baltimore may have a hard time shrinking Toronto's lead even more on Friday, as it turns to righty Ubaldo Jimenez, who has lost his last three decisions and is coming off an awful showing his last time out. Jimenez was banged around by Oakland on Sunday to the tune of six runs and two hits with five walks in just 2 1/3 innings, as he fell to 2-7 to go along with a 5.01 ERA.
Jimenez had faced the minimum batters through two innings before the wheels came off in the third.
"I started so good the first couple innings, and then that inning I lost the ability to throw a strike," Jimenez said. "It's one of those days. It's a really tough game."
Jimenez is 2-2 in six starts versus the Blue Jays with a 5.23 ERA.
Toronto, meanwhile, will counter with righty Drew Hutchison, who is 4-4 with a 3.96 ERA. Like Jimenez, Hutchison was roughed up his last time out on Sunday against St. Louis, as he gave up five runs and six hits in three innings.
Hutchison could get himself righted on Friday, as he owns a 2.03 ERA in eight road starts compared to an 8.72 ERA in five home outings
"He's definitely pitched better on the road -- and some guys are like that," Gibbons said after Hutchison's latest turn. "It's hard to put a finger on it. But you can't pitch them on the road every time."
Baltimore has won four of its seven matchups with the Blue Jays this season.
[SportsNetwork.com]
