Game Thread: Toronto Blue Jays (6-6) at Baltimore Orioles (5-6)

Mandatory Credit: Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY Sports

Mark Buehrle (2-0, 0.64 ERA) takes the mound today to face off against the Baltimore Orioles and Ubaldo Jimenez (0-2, 6.75 ERA) as the Toronto Blue Jays try to climb above .500 for the second time this season. Baltimore is trying to get back to .500 and will be hoping the strong pitching they’ve had in the first two games of this series continues.

Mark Buehrle will attempt to win his third game of the season and has looked strong early in 2014. Buehrle has a 7-8 record/73 K’s/3.42 ERA over 129 inning against the O’s in his career. He has struggle against much of the current O’s lineup with Chris Davis, Adam Jones, Nick Markakis, Matt Wieters, and Delmon Young all hitting better than .300 against him. Buehrle will have to continue the strong pitching Toronto has experienced from Dustin McGowan and Drew Hutchison, if Toronto is to come away with a series win. Toronto will have to find a way to get some hits and drive in some runs, as the Oroiles pitching staff has limited Blue Jays hitters to 3 runs on 10 hits in the first two games. On the positive side, Melky Cabrera continue to swing a hot bat, Jose Bautista continue to get on base with 3 BB yesterday, and Edwin Encarnacion looks like he is about to heat up with hits in his past 2 games.

Ubaldo Jimenez looks to notch his first win as a Oriole against a team that was rumored to have interest in obtaining his services this off-season. Jimenez has struggled in his first two starts to a tune of 8 runs, 8 walks, 10 K’s, and 13 hits over 10 2/3 innings. Jimenez has issued a high number of walks in his career but has also been able to get his fair share of strikeouts. Thus far, he is walking too many and being hit hard. In his career he is 2-1 with a  4.61 ERA (21 K’s) against Toronto. Not too many Jays that have hit Jimenez well in their careers, with Colby Rasmus having the most sucees with a .333 average over 24 at bats. Jose Bautista (0.077 in 13 AB), Edwin Encarnacion (0.222 in 9 AB) and Adam Lind (0.182 in 11 AB) have really struggled against Jimenez have only one homerun against him.

After last nights stellar pitching dual between Dustin McGowan and Chris Tillman in game one and between Drew Hutchison and Bud Norris this writer is hoping for more offense for the rubber match.

Toronto Blue Jays Lineup

Baltimore Orioles Lineup