In his final start before Game 1 of the upcoming American League Division Series, Chris Tillman looks to avoid his first loss since mid-July as the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night open a three-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Tillman has come a long way for the Orioles since he was acquired from Seattle in 2008 as part of the package for Erik Bedard. Baltimore also got talented outfielder Adam Jones in that deal.

The 26-year-old Tillman is 13-5 with a 3.26 earned run average this season, going 6-0 with a 2.06 ERA in 13 starts since the All-Star break. He has not lost since July 12 and has not allowed more than three earned runs in 20 consecutive starts dating back to early June.

Because of that, Tillman has already been named the starter for the first game of Baltimore's upcoming ALDS series against a still-to-be decided opponent.

"It means a lot," Tillman told Baltimore's website of getting the start. "I'm excited about it, looking forward to it. I've still got one more start to go [in the regular season], so I'm pretty focused on that, but at the same time, I know it means a lot to the team and means a lot to me. Hopefully, I'll get us going in the right direction."

The right-hander is coming off a win over Boston on Saturday in which he allowed two runs over seven innings. However, Tillman is just 1-2 with a 4.35 ERA in three starts versus Toronto this season.

Baltimore's regular season-ending series with Toronto figures to be more low key than its recently wrapped four-game set with the New York Yankees. That marked the last home series for the career of retiring shortstop Derek Jeter, who in dramatic fashion lifted the Yankees to a walk-off 6-5 win over the O's on Thursday.

The ever-dramatic Jeter stepped to the plate with a runner on second in the ninth inning and laced a patented opposite-field single through the hole between first and second base. Antoan Richardson slid in safely in front of Nick Markakis' throw.

Baltimore had tied the game in the ninth on a two-run homer by Jones and a solo blast off the bat of Steve Pearce.

"It was cool," Jones said of the atmosphere. "But we wanted to win the game."

Toronto will be trying to win this game tonight behind right-hander Drew Hutchison, who has lost back-to-back starts. That includes a 5-2 setback to the Yankees on Sunday.

Hutchison allowed two runs, but on five hits and three walks as he lasted just four innings. The 24-year-old did strike out six to give him 27 over his past three outings.

He is 10-13 on the year with a 4.51 ERA and 3-1 with a 2.15 ERA in seven career starts versus Baltimore.

Toronto is a game back of second-place New York in the AL East. The Blue Jays outscored Seattle 25-6 in winning the first three of a four-game set, but lost Thursday's finale 7-5.

The Orioles have won four straight and 10 of 16 versus the Blue Jays this season.