Orioles, Blue Jays continue set up north

Dutch-born right-hander Rick VandenHurk makes his first game series with the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Orioles captured Friday's opening game when Jeremy Guthrie tossed seven scoreless innings in a 2-0 win.

Guthrie (7-17) scattered three hits and three walks while fanning five to earn the win.

Jim Johnson worked around a leadoff walk in the ninth to record his fourth save of the season.

Vladimir Guerrero and Nick Markakis both had an RBI for the Orioles, who have won three straight.

Brett Cecil (4-9) allowed two runs -- one earned -- over 7 2/3 innings. He recorded a season-high nine strikeouts, but could not avoid dropping his fifth straight decision.

Meanwhile, VandenHurk, who signed as an undrafted free agent by the Florida Marlins in 2002, reached the majors in 2007 and was 8-9 in 35 appearances with the Marlins through July 2010, when he was dealt to Baltimore in a July 31 trade for Will Ohman.

The 26-year-old finished the season with the Orioles and lost one decision in seven appearances, then began the 2011 season with Triple-A Norfolk, where he was 9-13 in 26 starts with a 4.43 earned run average.

His late-season call-up began against the Blue Jays on Sept. 1, when he allowed a hit in a 1 1/3 innings of relief as part of an 8-6 Toronto win.

He pitched 2 1/3 innings at Tampa Bay in one subsequent outing on Sept. 4, allowing a run on a hit with two walks and a strikeout.

For the Blue Jays, rookie righty Henderson Alvarez faces the team he defeated for his lone big-league win.

The 21-year-old was 0-2 with two no-decisions in his first four starts between Aug. 10 and 26 before a 13-0 beating of Baltimore on Aug. 31. He allowed three hits in eight scoreless innings with no walks and five strikeouts.

He's started one time since, tossing six more scoreless innings with four hits allowed while getting a no-decision in Toronto's 1-0 defeat of Boston.

In 36 2/3 overall innings, he's allowed 13 runs on 32 hits with six walks and 25 strikeouts.

Toronto has won 10 of its 16 matchups with the O's after going 15-3 in the season series a year ago against them.