(SportsNetwork.com) – Mark Buehrle is in the midst of another impressive
April.
The left-hander will try to keep it going and slow down Adam Jones in the
process when the Toronto Blue Jays open a three-game set with the Baltimore
Orioles at Rogers Centre.
Buehrle, who allowed two runs in winning his first four starts last season,
has come out of the gates strong again this year, winning his first two
decisions and pitching to a 3.75 ERA.
Although, he hasn’t needed to be great, as the Jays have scored 12 runs in
each of his first two starts.
“I’ve always said, ‘When I got 10 runs or more, I’ve never lost,'” Buehrle
said. “At least I don’t think I have. … Keep ’em coming.”
The 36-year-old hurler beat the Orioles back on April 10 and has faced them 25
times (23 starts), going 9-10 with a 3.54 ERA.
Buehrle will also be tasked with slowing down the red-hot Jones, who saw his
nine-game hitting streak come to an end in the Orioles’ 7-1 loss on Monday in
Boston.
Before going 0-for-2 on Monday, Jones had been 8-for-14 with five RBI in the
first three games against the Red Sox, part of a nine-game stretch that
saw him hit .571 with five home runs and 14 runs driven in.
Baltimore will turn to righty Bud Norris in Tuesday’s opener, as he tries to
rebound from a pair of shaky outings to start the year, including an awful
showing versus Buehrle and the Blue Jays his first time out. Norris gave up
eight runs and seven hits in just three innings of that one, dropping him to
4-1 lifetime versus the Jays with a 4.10 ERA in seven starts.
Norris was a little better on Wednesday against the New York Yankees, but did
not receive a decision, as he was hit for three runs and five hits in five
innings of his team’s 7-5 win.
Toronto dropped two of three to the Atlanta Braves this weekend and has lost
three of its last four overall. Baltimore, meanwhile, split its series in
Boston, but has won four of its last six.
The Jays could have shortstop Jose Reyes back in the lineup on Tuesday. He has
been sidelined since Friday with a rib injury and is expected to be re-
evaluated before the game. Toronto is also hoping to have second baseman Devon
Travis as well. Travis left Sunday’s game after being hit by a pitch in the
first inning. The team, though, confirmed he did not have a fracture in his
rib.
Reyes is hitting .324 with five RBI in 37 at-bats, while the rookie Travis
leads the team with a .356 batting average in 45 at-bats.
The Blue Jays took two of three from the Orioles earlier in the year.
