Toronto @ Tampa Bay preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 1, 2014 ) Toronto 4, Tampa Bay 2

By this point in the opening week of the major league season, the majority of teams are parading out their less-proven pitchers after rolling with their first two options. The Tampa Bay Rays are in a better position than most, sending 17-game winner Matt Moore to the hill Wednesday evening as the Rays and Toronto Blue Jays resume their season-opening four-game set in Florida. Toronto prevailed 4-2 Tuesday after dropping a 9-2 decision in the opener.

The Blue Jays know they'll need contributions from hitters other than Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion to compete in the ruthless AL East. Enter Adam Lind, who swatted a three-run homer in the first inning to provide more than enough run support for Drew Hutchison. The task will be much tougher against Moore, who averaged nearly a strikeout per inning in a breakout 2013 campaign while limiting opposing hitters to a collective .216 batting average.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, RSN (Toronto), SUN (Tampa Bay)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays LH Mark Buehrle (2013: 12-10, 4.15 ERA) vs. Rays LH Matt Moore (2013: 17-4, 3.29)

Buehrle labored through the opening half of his first campaign north of the border, going 5-6 with a 4.89 ERA. He turned it on after the All-Star break, posting a 7-4 mark with a 3.18 ERA and emerging as Toronto's best pitcher down the stretch. The biggest difference: limiting the home-run ball, as Buehrle allowed 16 home runs in the opening half of the campaign but held opponents to just eight over his final 14 starts.

The only saving grace for Toronto may be the fact that they get to face Moore in his own stadium. The 24-year-old Fort Walton Beach, Fla., native was a relatively pedestrian 7-3 with a 4.02 ERA at Tropicana Field in 2013, compared to a 10-1, 2.74 mark away from St. Petersburg. Moore was at his best in the opening month last season, going a perfect 5-0 with a 1.13 ERA, 38 strikeouts and a .121 opposition batting average in five starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. Toronto hasn't won a series at Tropicana Field since April 2007, going 0-19-1 since.

2. Moore won all three of his starts versus the Blue Jays last year, including a victory over Buehrle on June 25.

3. Tampa Bay OF Matt Joyce is 4-for-5 with two runs scored and three RBIs in the first two games of the series.

PREDICTION: Rays 5, Blue Jays 2