April 13, 2017 - 1:38 PM
TORONTO - The slumping Toronto Blue Jays tweaked their batting lineup Thursday, inserting Ezequiel Carrera into the leadoff spot against the Baltimore Orioles.
Manager John Gibbons says Carrera has sparked the Jays in the past.
Toronto has lost five straight and seven of eight this season.
Carrera took the place of Steve Pearce in left field. Second baseman Devon Travis, who had been batting leadoff, dropped to the No. 9 spot.
Josh Donaldson, who has been battling a sore calf, remained at designated hitter with Kendrys Morales at first base.
Darwin Barney got the start at third in place of Donaldson.
Baltimore (5-2) beat Toronto in a two-game series to open the season.
The Jays went into Thursday's game hitting .190 — worst in the majors. Toronto was also last in runs scored (23), tied for last in home runs (4) and tied for second-last in RBI (22).
News from © The Canadian Press, 2017