Rios enjoys facing Orioles' Cabrera
Blue Jays' outfielder has nine hits in 27 at-bats against righty
Last Updated: Friday, April 20, 2007 | 3:00 PM ET
CBC Sports
Alex Rios distanced himself from some of his slumping Blue Jays teammates in the series finale versus Boston, and the odds are in his favour to repeat the feat in Baltimore.
That's because the Toronto right-fielder will be facing Daniel Cabrera in Friday's opener of a three-game weekend set against the hometown Orioles, a pitcher Rios has had great success against.
Blue Jays' Alex Rios owns a .333 career average against Baltimore right-hander Daniel Cabrera.
(Chris O'Meara/Associated Press)
Rios, who snapped a 0-for-14 slump with a double and home run in Thursday's 5-3 setback to the Red Sox, has nine hits in 27 career at-bats against Cabrera.
Fortunately for Rios, he might even sneak in an extra plate appearance since he's batting leadoff for the Jays while Reed Johnson recovers from back surgery.
Cabrera, 25, is no stranger to Toronto, having faced the Blue Jays more than he has any other team, posting a decent 4-5 record and 4.16 earned-run average in 11 career starts.
The right-hander, though, has given off some mixed signals through the first three weeks of the season.
Cabrera struck out nine over seven innings in his first start and allowed just two earned runs in 7 2/3 innings in his next outing. In his last start, Cabrera gave up seven hits and three earned runs over five innings versus Kansas City.
Stairs has had success
Blue Jays' newcomer Matt Stairs has also enjoyed success against Cabrera in his career, hitting .308 (4-for-13) with a double and could earn the start in left field over youngster Adam Lind.
Stairs and company will be meeting a new-look Orioles club at Camden Yards.
In addition to acquiring outfielder Jay Payton, first baseman Aubrey Huff and starting pitcher Steve Trachsel in the off-season, management spent more than $40 million to sign four relief pitchers: Danys Baez, Jamie Walker, Chad Bradford and Scott Williamson.
And the revamped bullpen has already made a huge difference in the first 15 games of the season.
Baltimore's relievers blanked Tampa Bay over the final four innings of a come-from-behind 9-7 win Monday and then bought the Orioles time to erase 1-0 and 3-1 deficits in an eventual 6-4 victory on Wednesday.
"You have a good bullpen, and they're going to help out and keep the game close," injured catcher Ramon Hernandez told the Baltimore Sun.
Toronto's bullpen was enjoying similar success early in the Boston series this week, blanking the Red Sox over 4 1/3 innings — and then there was Thursday's debacle.
In the eighth inning, Blue Jays manager John Gibbons summoned Shaun Marcum from the bullpen to replace starter Roy Halladay with one out and a man on first base. The right-hander promptly yielded a two-run homer to Boston's Manny Ramirez.
The Red Sox took the lead for good in the ninth as acting Blue Jays closer Jason Frasor entered the game and was met by an Alex Cora run-scoring triple and Coco Crisp sacrifice fly.
Toronto's struggling offence woke up a little, scoring three runs on eight hits after managing just five runs and 15 hits in its previous three outings. The Blue Jays finished a 10-game homestand at 5-5.
A.J. Burnett will be gunning for his second win of the season Friday. The righty was tagged for four runs on seven hits over 5 1/3 innings in his last start, a no decision last Saturday against Detroit. Five days earlier, he threw 6 2/3 outstanding frames to defeat Kansas City.
Burnett, 30, has faced Baltimore only once previously, back in 2001 as a member of the Florida Marlins. He held the visiting Orioles to three runs over 7 2/3 innings to earn a win.
The Blue Jays finished 11-8 against Baltimore last season, with the Orioles taking five of the nine meetings at home. Both teams begin this series with identical 8-7 records, 1½ games behind the first-place Red Sox in the American League East division.
Toronto will play the next seven games on the road, travelling to Boston and New York after the weekend.
