The Jays got their Baltimore series off to a great start today with a 2-0 win against the Orioles, bringing your heroic azure corvids back to .500.
On the Mound:
Brett Cecil threw a very good 6 scoreless innings, rebounding from a rough one his last time out. Cecil, pitching in his home state of Maryland in front of his family and friends, took "Manly Deeds, Womanly Words" (the absurd state motto) to heart with 5 Ks and 2 walks, giving up just four singles. Cecil looked very good, generally keeping his fastball down and using his slider and change well. He got a strikeout on his curveball which was good to see.
At the Plate:
It was a quiet day for the Jays at the plate against starter Jason Berken and 2 relievers, with most of the damage being done by the bottom of the lineup. Lyle Overbay had a good day at the plate with 2 walks (the team's only two) and a single, Alex Rios was even better with two doubles, and Raul Chavez had an RBI double. Even whipping boy David Dellucci cashed a run with an RBI groundout. Everyone else was quiet, most notably Scott Rolen, who had his 25-game hitting streak snapped.
From the Pen:
Shawn Camp was initially called on to relieve Cecil in the 7th and did not look sharp at all. He gave up a double and walked Cesar Izturis (always a bad move), getting his only out on a Matt Wieters lineout. Jesse Carlson came in and got out of the inning with the lead and the shutout intact - a Brian Roberts long fly to right and an Adam Jones foulout to first. Carlson and Frasor split the 8th without much ado, and then Scott Downs was absolutely filthy in the ninth, carving up the Os with a groundout and two strikeouts - his hook was back in a big way.
It was a quiet day for the offense, but a good efficient win for a team that hasn't had many lately. Two more rookies will go at it tomorrow with Ricky Romero for the Jays and Brad Bergesen, who's been Baltimore's best pitcher, for the O's.