The streaking Baltimore Orioles go for their fifth straight win when they open a three-game series against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday night.
The Orioles are 17 games over .500 for the first time since July 26, 2016, after they swept a three-game weekend series from the Kansas City Royals. It was their third three-game sweep of the season.
Gunnar Henderson went 3-or-5 on Sunday, including an epic 462-foot home run.
“I feel like when I finally get to the man-strength phase I might be able to get a little bit farther,” joked Henderson, who turns 22 later this month. “It feels like it’s been a long time coming. I feel like I’ve had a lot of good at-bats, put some good swings on the ball, and it was just a matter of time until I got one like that.”
Henderson is 10-for-19 (.526) over his past five games, with three home runs, six RBIs and five runs. He has hit leadoff the past two games after batting fifth or higher in 52 of his 57 games this season.
“He’s definitely more confident right now,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “I can tell he’s feeling a lot more comfortable at the plate.”
Ramon Urias had four hits Sunday and is 8-for-14 (.571) over his past four games, raising his average from .238 to .272.
The Orioles have not named a starter for Tuesday, while the Blue Jays will go with right-hander Chris Bassitt (7-4, 3.29 ERA).
Bassitt has followed up one of his worst starts of the season with a pair of strong performances. On May 27, he was blitzed by the Minnesota Twins for seven runs and nine hits over four innings of a loss. He has given up just two earned runs over 15 2/3 inning in his past two starts.
Last time out, he went eight innings to beat the Astros on Wednesday, giving up two runs on four hits while striking out five without a walk.
“I had my sinker really working,” Bassitt said. “They were really aggressive on it. When I’m throwing it well and they’re swinging, it’s going to be a lot of quick outs.”
Despite the clunker against the Twins, the right-hander has a 2.40 ERA over his last 12 starts. Bassitt is 3-0 with a 2.36 ERA in four career starts versus the Orioles.
Toronto opens a nine-game road trip after completing a 4-3 homestand with a come-from-behind 7-6 win over the Minnesota Twins on Sunday. On the verge of being swept, the Blue Jays rallied from five runs down in the fifth inning for the win.
Cavan Biggio hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the eighth inning and Matt Chapman had a two-run shot for Toronto, which is 8-3 in June.
On a day when starter Kevin Gausman allowed six runs over 4 2/3 innings, the Blue Jays’ bullpen stepped up and shut down Minnesota the rest of the way. Nate Pearson tossed two scoreless innings and earned the win, improving to 4-0 with a 2.05 ERA. He allowed one hit and struck out three.
“Nate has turned the corner in believing in who he really is, challenging hitters and having that confidence and demeanor,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said.
Brandon Belt (hamstring) and Kevin Kiermaier (wrist) remain day-to-day for Toronto.
–Field Level Media
