Toronto @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 12, 2015 ) Toronto 13, Boston 10

The Boston Red Sox keep finding different ways to lose games, and the Toronto Blue Jays are recently finding plenty of ways to win. The Blue Jays will try to take advantage of the stumbling Red Sox and push their winning streak to 10 straight when they visit Boston for the second of a three-game series on Saturday.

The Red Sox, who have dropped four straight, owned an 8-1 lead in Friday’s series opener and were still in front 8-4 heading into the seventh before the bullpen melted down. Toronto put up nine runs on eight hits, highlighted by Russell Martin’s three-run triple and Justin Smoak’s homer, before three Boston relievers managed to record an out. The Blue Jays went on to post a 13-10 victory and are averaging 7.8 runs during their nine-game winning streak. Red Sox pitchers have allowed 25 runs during their most recent losing streak.

TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, SNET (Toronto), NESN (Boston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH R.A. Dickey (2-6, 5.35 ERA) vs. Red Sox RH Clay Buchholz (3-6, 4.07)

Dickey is winless in his last three starts and failed to make it past the sixth inning in any of those contests. The knuckleballer issued four walks and was charged with two runs in 5 2/3 innings against Houston on Sunday without factoring in the decision. Dickey has lost twice to Boston already this season while allowing a total of 10 runs and 16 hits in 13 innings.

Buchholz had a run of five straight quality starts come to an end when he was reached for four runs and 10 hits in 4 2/3 innings against Oakland on Sunday. The Texas native held Minnesota scoreless on three hits over eight innings to earn a win in his previous start. Buchholz’s shortest outing of the season came at home against Toronto on April 28, when he was lit up for five runs (four earned) in 2 2/3 frames.

WALK-OFFS

1. Red Sox CF Mookie Betts suffered a sprained back and left the game after crashing into the wall on Friday and is day-to-day.

2. Smoak, who came up a double shy of the cycle on Friday, is 5-for-9 with two homers and five RBIs in the last two games.

3. Toronto 3B Josh Donaldson is 11-for-23 in the last five games.

PREDICTION: Blue Jays 8, Red Sox 3