Blue Jays-Orioles Preview

Since Chris Waters shut out the Toronto Blue Jays 10 days ago, the Baltimore Orioles have lost nine straight to guarantee a last-place finish in the AL East for the first time since 1988.

Baltimore hopes the rookie left-hander can turn in a similar performance on Friday when the Orioles open a three-game series with Toronto.

Waters (3-4, 5.06 ERA) pitched a shutout against the Blue Jays (84-75) on Sept. 16, allowing four hits in the 2-0 win. It was only the fourth time the Orioles (67-91) shut out an opponent this season.

Since that win, Baltimore has lost nine straight, including a four-game sweep by Tampa Bay this week. The Orioles lost 11-6 on Wednesday after blowing a 6-0 lead. Nick Markakis had three hits and Luke Scott drove in three runs, but Tampa Bay scored five times in the fourth and twice in the sixth.

Baltimore has lost 28 of 34 since Aug. 18. It hasn't lost 10 straight since a 12-game slide in August 2004.

"I'm out here having fun still, but the outcome is not what we all want," center fielder Adam Jones told the Orioles' official Web site. "That's the hardest part. We're men out there. We're not looking for someone to pat us on the back when we do wrong."

The Blue Jays have won 10 of 15 against the Orioles this season, including four of six at Camden Yards.

Toronto snapped a three-game losing streak on Thursday, beating the Yankees 8-2. Roy Halladay became the AL's second 20-game winner after pitching a complete game while Travis Snider had three hits and Vernon Wells homered and drove in four runs.

The Blue Jays announced before the game that manager Cito Gaston had signed a two-year contract extension and general manager J.P. Ricciardi would return in 2009.

Toronto has a 49-36 record since Gaston replaced John Gibbons on June 20.

"I like what Cito has done in the time he's been here," Halladay said. "I think we've gone in some good directions and I've always trusted J.P. ... I feel confident the organization will continue to go the right way."

Gaston will hand the ball Friday to Scott Richmond (0-3, 5.14), who has spent most of this season in the minors and is making his second start since being recalled to take the place of the injured Shaun Marcum.

Richmond pitched five innings against Boston on Sunday, allowing three runs and five hits in a 3-0 loss.

In the four games the rookie right-hander has started this season, Toronto has scored four runs of support.

Richmond has never faced the Orioles.

Waters lost his start on Sunday against the Yankees, allowing five runs and six hits over 5 2-3 innings of a 7-3 loss.