Cleveland @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 20, 2014 ) Toronto 4, Cleveland 6

The Cleveland Indians are making a strong push to get back over the .500 mark as they have captured five of their last six contests. The Indians try to keep rolling along when they visit the Toronto Blue Jays for the start of a three-game series on Tuesday. The Blue Jays avoided a four-game sweep with a 7-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Monday and will make things difficult for Cleveland with the depth and power of their lineup.

Toronto's attack is built around Jose Bautista, who had a 37-game streak of reaching base safely come to an end on Sunday but recovered by going 3-for-4 with his 10th home run in Monday’s victory. The Indians made some changes to the bullpen over the weekend, removing John Axford from ninth-inning duty in favor of a closer-by-committee approach. Scott Atchison, Marc Rzepczynski, Cody Allen and Bryan Shaw all will be used depending on matchups, and Shaw got the final three outs for a save in Sunday’s 6-5 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.

TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland), RSN (Toronto)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Justin Masterson (2-1, 3.86 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH R.A. Dickey (3-3, 4.72)

Masterson recorded his second straight win by holding the Minnesota Twins to four runs - two earned - on four hits in 6 1/3 innings on Thursday. The sinkerball specialist racked up seven strikeouts in that outing and has fanned a total of 48 in 49 innings. Masterson is 4-1 with a 2.79 ERA in 15 career games - seven starts - against Toronto, but Bautista is 6-for-19 with a pair of homers against the 29-year-old.

Dickey, who is recovering from a rough beginning to the season, posted his fourth straight quality start by holding the Philadelphia Phillies to three runs - two earned - on seven hits in 6 1/3 innings on Thursday. The knuckleballer has had some trouble controlling his signature pitch and issued three walks against the Phillies, bringing his total to 25 free passes in 47 2/3 frames. Dickey faced the Indians twice in his return to the American League last season and lost both outings, allowing a total of seven runs - five earned - in 12 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Blue Jays CF Colby Rasmus left Monday’s game with a tight hamstring and is day-to-day.

2. Cleveland OF Nyjer Morgan is 6-for-18 with four runs scored in his last five games.

3. Toronto 3B Brett Lawrie (hamstring) returned from a six-game absence on Monday and homered.

PREDICTION: Indians 3, Blue Jays 2