The Baltimore Orioles (42-31) have a tall task in front of them tonight at 7:07 p.m. when they take on the surging Toronto Blue Jays (35-36) in the first game of a three-game series that can be live streamed here. Fans of the Blue Jays can check out the radio broadcast on SN590, while Orioles fans can listen in on 1090 WBAL.
The Blue Jays were off last night, but they enter this series on an eight-game winning streak, and have made themselves matter again in the American League East, which appears up for grabs with all five squads having a shot.
One of the biggest reasons for Toronto's turnaround has been a resurgent Adam Lind, who is hitting .340 with nine home runs and 28 RBI after three straight subpar seasons. His OPS is at .961 now, and he's getting starts regardless of which hand the opposing pitcher uses to throw. Against the O's in 2013, Lind is hitting .500, but he's 1-for-8 in his career against Orioles' starter Jason Hammel (7-4, 5.24 ERA).
Countering Hammel for the Jays will be R.A. Dickey (6-8, 4.90 ERA), the National League Cy Young winner last year who has seen some serious peaks and valleys in his 2013 performance.
Blue Jays manager John Gibbons stuck up for Dickey, saying, "Even when he's not at his best, he competes. He battled, got out of some jams." Still, the Blue Jays surrendered the top prospect in their system, catcher Travis d'Arnaud, in a deal for Dickey and he hasn't lived up to his potential.
Dickey's biggest issue this year has been consistency; several times he has been good for one or two starts before blowing up. In June, his first start was an 8.1 inning, two-hit shutout in which he struck out five batters. He followed that outing with a putrid start against the light-hitting Chicago White Sox in which he lasted five innings and gave up seven runs on 10 hits.
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