GAME:
Boston Red Sox (47-53) at Toronto Blue Jays (52-49)
DATE/TIME:
Wednesday, July 23 - 7:07 PM EST
WHERE:
Rogers Centre, Toronto, Ontario
LINE:
100, -108
TOTAL:
8.5
The Boston Red Sox are starting to make a push back into contention but are far enough out that they cannot afford a losing streak. The Red Sox attempt to avoid back-to-back setbacks when they visit the Toronto Blue Jays for the third contest of their four-game series on Wednesday. Boston had its five-game winning streak come to an end with Tuesday’s 7-3 loss but has won eight of its last 10 games to provide some hope.
The Blue Jays scored more than three runs for the sixth time in 10 games on Tuesday, when the top of the lineup got the team going. The foursome of Jose Reyes, Melky Cabrera, Jose Bautista and Dioner Navarro combined to go 10-for-18 with six RBIs in Tuesday’s win, and Cabrera has been on a tear of late with three three-hit performances in his last four games. Boston is enjoying its own offensive resurgence and has pounded out 29 hits in the first two games of the series.
TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), RSN, TVA (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox RH Clay Buchholz (5-5, 5.46 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH R.A. Dickey (7-10, 3.95)
Buchholz could not replicate the shutout he tossed prior to the All-Star break but did enough to earn a win over Kansas City on Friday. The Texas native scattered four runs and 10 hits over six innings and did not walk a batter, giving him a total of one free pass yielded in his last five starts. Buchholz won at Toronto on April 26 but was reached for five runs - four earned - on nine hits in 4 2/3 frames to suffer a loss to the Blue Jays at home on May 21.
Dickey got his team’s first post-All-Star break start as well and was knocked around by Texas for five runs in seven innings to suffer a loss. The knuckleball specialist surrendered a pair of home runs in that outing after going three straight without yielding a blast. Dickey faced Boston at home on April 27 and allowed one run on five hits without walking a batter in 6 1/3 frames to pick up the win.
WALK-OFFS
1. Red Sox DH David Ortiz has belted three home runs in the series and 36 in his career at Rogers Centre, tied for the most by a visiting player (Alex Rodriguez).
2. Toronto recalled RHP Aaron Sanchez from Triple-A Buffalo on Tuesday. The team's top prospect is expected to work a maximum of two innings per appearance out of the bullpen.
3. Boston RF Shane Victorino is 6-for-11 in three games since returning from the disabled list.
PREDICTION: Red Sox 3, Blue Jays 2