2011 GAME NOTES American League East Champions 1985, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993 American League Champions 1992, 1993 World Series Champions 1992, 1993 Toronto Blue Jays Communications Department Phone: (416) 341-1303 Fax: (416) 341-1250 www.bluejays.com Game #5 (3-1), Home #4 (3-1) OAKLAND ATHLETICS (1-3) at TORONTO BLUE JAYS (3-1), Wednesday, April 6, 2011 PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS: (All Times Eastern) Wednesday, April 6 vs. Oakland A’s, 7:07 pm…LHP Dallas Braden (season debut) vs. RHP Jesse Litsch (season debut)…SNET-1 Thursday, April 7 vs. Oakland A’s, 12:37 pm…RHP Trevor Cahill (0-0, 1.93) vs. LHP Ricky Romero (1-0, 1.42)…SNET Friday, April 8 at Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, 10:05 pm…RHP Kyle Drabek (1-0, 1.29) vs. RHP Ervin Santana (0-0, 4.05)…SNET-1 Saturday, April 9 at Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, 9:05 pm…LHP Brett Cecil (0-1, 5.40) vs. LHP Scott Kazmir (0-0, 27.00)…SNET Sunday, April 10 at Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, 3:35 pm…LHP Jo-Jo Reyes (0-0, 13.50) vs. RHP Jered Weaver (2-0, 0.69)…SNET Monday, April 11 at Seattle Mariners, 10:10 pm…RHP Jesse Litsch (pitching tonight) vs. RHP Felix Hernandez (1-0, 2.00)…SNET Tuesday, April 12 at Seattle Mariners, 10:10 pm…LHP Ricky Romero (1-0, 1.42) vs. RHP Michael Pineda (0-1, 4.50)…SNET Wednesday, April 13 at Seattle Mariners, 3:40 pm…RHP Kyle Drabek (1-0, 1.29) vs. LHP Jason Vargas (0-0, 1.35)…SNET-1 Thursday, April 14…OFF-DAY 2011 GLANCING at the JAYS BLUE JAYS vs. ATHLETICS: 2011 Record...............................................................3-1, 2nd, 1.0 GB 2011: Play the A’s 10 times this season, six at Rogers Centre 2011 Home Attendance (Total & Average) ............................ 121,760 & four at Alameda County Colliseum…These two Clubs will ’10 Season (Hm. Attendance)-4 games ................................... 79,842 meet again for a 3-game set to be played in Toronto from Aug. ’10 Season (Hm. Attendance)-5 games ................................... 94,621 9-11. Come From Behind Wins .................................................................. 1 Are 0-1 vs. OAK this season after last night’s 7-6 victory in 10 Last Shutout by Blue Jays.......................1-0, Sept. 23, 2010 vs. SEA innings…The Jays have won each of their last three season Last Shutout by Opponent .......................6-0, Sept. 19, 2010 at BOS series dating back to 2008, going 17-10 over that span…TOR April ‘11/‘10/‘09.............................................................3-1/12-12/15-9 has won seven of their last 10 contests dating back to Under JOHN FARRELL ................................................................. 3-1 2009…The Jays are 10-2 over their last 12 games played in ’10 Season- 4 games ..................................................................... 3-1 Toronto dating back to 2008. ’10 Season- 5 games ..................................................................... 4-1 LAST SEASON: Posted an overall record of 4-3 (3-1 at home & Best/Worst- 4 games....................4-0 (’92)/1-3 (’78,’79,’80 & ’03, ’04) 1-2 on the road) vs. OAK. Best/Worst- 5 games..........................................5-0 (’92)/1-4 (’78,’04) ALL-TIME: Overall are 168-193, 80-99 at home & 88-94 on the Vs. RHS/LHS ...........................................................................2-1/1-0 road…The Jays have won three straight season series vs. OAK Blue Jays/Opponents scoring first............................................2-0/1-1 GMS decided in final AB/Walk-Off ...........................................1-0/1-0 dating back to 2008. 1-Run/2-Run Games ................................................................1-1/0-0 Franchise record ................................................................2677-2710 BLAST OFF: Home/Road ..............................................................................3-1/0-0 The Blue Jays, who led the Majors last season with a Club Day/Night .................................................................................1-1/2-0 record 257 home runs, have now hit 8-HR after their first four th Series Record/Home/Road ......................................1-0-0/1-0-0/0-0-0 games which ranks T-4 in the AL (TEX & NYY lead with Vs. EAST/CENTRAL/WEST/NL.................................. 0-0/2-1/1-0/0-0 13)…The 8-HR hit after the first four games are the most since After 6.0, Ahead/Tied/Trailing ............................................2-0/1-0/0-1 2001 (8-HR)…The Jays are looking to homer in their first five After 7.0, Ahead/Tied/Trailing ............................................2-0/1-0/0-1 games to begin a season for the 1st time since 2000 when they After 8.0, Ahead/Tied/Trailing ............................................2-0/1-0/0-1 did so in their first six contests (12 total). Extra-Inning Games/Home/Road .......................................1-0/1-0/0-0 2011 at ROGERS CENTRE WALK IT OFF: Blue Jays HR Dome Open/Cld………………….…………………….0/8 Last night vs. OAK, Yunel Escobar ended the game in walk-off Opponents HR Dome Open/Cld………………………………………0/3 fashion with a two-run homer in the 10th inning against Grant W/L, 2011 open/closed/other…………………………...……0-0/3-1/0-0 Balfour…For Escobar, it marked his 2nd career walk-off shot, All-time/open/closed/other.…………943-783/492-432/394-309/57-42 previously done on June 2, 2008 vs. FLA. st THE LATEST: For Toronto, it was their 1 walk-off victory since Sept. 25, With last night’s 7-6 victory in 10 innings vs. Oakland, the Blue 2010 vs. BAL on a walk-off homer by Lyle Overbay…The only Jays improved to 3-1 on the season. other walk-off home run by Toronto last season occurred on Are 2nd in the AL East, 1.0 GB of the division leading Orioles (4- Sept. 12 vs. TB (Adam Lind), wasn’t recorded until game #143 0)…Are 0.5 GA of the Yankees for 2nd (3-2) & are 3.0 GA of of the season…The Jays recorded five walk-off victories last both the Red Sox (0-4) & Rays (0-4). season, however, did not have one until game #57 of the season (vs. NYY on June 5). ON THE HOMEFRONT: STOPPING SHORT: Tonight, the Blue Jays continue a 7-day, 6-game homestand nd According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Yunel Escobar became with the 2 of a 3-game series vs. the A’s (1-3)…Are 3-1 on the rd current homestand (2-1 vs. MIN & 1-0 vs. OAK) after last night’s the 3 Toronto shortstop to hit a walk-off home run in victory vs. OAK. Franchise history…Tony Batista did it against the Braves on July 19, 1999 & Aaron Hill hit one against the Rays on Sept. LOOKING AHEAD: 15, 2006. Following the series with the A’s, the Jays will head out on their 1st road trip of the season, an 11-day, 10-game trip…Begin with A SNEAK ATTACK: a 3-game series in Los Angeles (2-3) on Apr. 8-10…Following Last night, the Blue Jays came back from a five run deficit (0-5) the series with the Angels, take on the Mariners (2-3) from Apr. to defeat the A’s in extra innings on a two-run walk-off home 11-13…TOR will enjoy an off-day on Apr. 14 before concluding run by Yunel Escobar…Last season, 36 of Toronto’s 85 the trip with a 4-game series in Boston (0-4) from Apr. 15-18. victories were come-from-behind wins. WORKING OVERTIME: WORKING THEIR WAY BACK: st RHP Brandon Morrow is scheduled to begin a rehab Last night, the Blue Jays played their 1 extra-inning contest of assignment with a start on Apr. 7 with the Dunedin Blue Jays the season, a 7-6 win in 10 innings…Toronto posted a record of (A) as they take on the Clearwater Phillies in their season 5-6 in extra-inning affairs (3-2 at home) last season. opener…Morrow was placed on the 15-day DL back on Mar. 31 (retro to Mar. 22) with a strained right elbow. CLOSE CALL: RHP Frank Francisco is also scheduled to begin a rehab With last night’s 7-6 victory, the Blue Jays improved to 1-1 in assignment on Apr. 7 with Dunedin (A)…Francisco was placed one-run contests this season…In 2010, the Club posted a on the 15-day DL back on Mar. 31 (retro to Mar. 22) with a right record of 24-28 in one-run affairs (14-13 at home). shoulder strain. KEEPING IT IN THE YARD: When Brett Cecil surrendered a home run to Danny Valencia in THIS DAY IN BLUE JAYS HISTORY: In 1992, Toronto played the 3rd inning on Sunday’s loss vs. the Twins, it snapped a their season opener in Detroit with newly acquired Jack Morris th stretch of 20.0 innings to start the season without allowing a setting a Major League record with his 13 consecutive opening home run…It represented the longest stretch to start a season day start…He tossed a complete game as Toronto won 4-2. since 1999. RHP JESSE LITSCH # 51 BIRTHDATE: March 9, 1985 BIRTHPLACE: Pinellas Park, FL HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6’1”/175 BATS/THROWS: R/R 2011 SEASON: A REAL HOMER: Will be making his first start since Aug. 1, 2010 after Has posted a 10-10 record with a 3.63 ERA in 27 career having surgery to repair a right labral tear in his right hip starts at home... Opposed to a 11-14 record with a 4.51 the week of Aug. 9, 2010. ERA in 33 career games (32 starts) on the road.