Toronto @ Tampa Bay preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 22, 2015 ) Toronto 8, Tampa Bay 5

There isn’t likely to be a second straight slugfest with the quality of pitchers on the mound Tuesday as the Tampa Bay Rays host the Toronto Blue Jays in the second of a three-game series. Chris Archer goes after his sixth consecutive victory for the Rays against former National League Cy Young Award winner R.A. Dickey, following Toronto’s 8-5 triumph Monday.

Archer has allowed only four hits in 14 scoreless innings with 18 strikeouts during two wins against the Blue Jays this season and looks to help Tampa Bay avoid a three-game losing streak. Dickey, who returns from the bereavement list, has lost both starts versus the Rays in 2015 while surrendering 10 runs over 10 2/3 innings. Kevin Kiermaier is batting .349 in June for the Rays, but he is just 1-for-12 lifetime against Dickey. Archer must contend with a red-hot Jose Bautista, who has compiled four homers and 12 RBIs in his last eight games after his solo blast on Monday but is 2-for-24 versus Archer.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, SNET (Toronto), Sun Sports (Tampa Bay)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH R.A. Dickey (3-6, 4.96 ERA) vs. Rays RH Chris Archer (8-4, 2.18)

Dickey comes in off one of his best performances of the season, limiting the New York Mets to one run and three hits over 7 1/3 innings. The 40-year-old knuckleballer has yielded eight earned runs in his past four starts, but has given up 15 homers in 14 outings this year. Asdrubal Cabrera is 5-for-13 with a pair of homers versus Dickey, who is 6-7 with a 4.49 ERA in 19 career appearances (15 starts) against Tampa Bay.

Archer is 5-0 in his last eight starts, permitting one or fewer runs in five of them, but has surrendered three tallies in each of his past two outings. The 26-year-old has struck out 116 batters and awarded free passes to only 23 over 95 innings while giving up only five home runs. Edwin Encarnacion is only 4-for-25 with three homers and Jose Reyes is 9-for-21 against Archer, who is 4-1 with a 2.67 ERA all-time versus Toronto.

WALK-OFFS

1. Tampa Bay INF Logan Forsythe has recorded multiple hits six times in his last eight games and is 15-for-30 during that stretch.

2. Toronto OF Chris Colabello had two hits Monday and is 14-for-38 with six RBIs in his last 10 games to raise his average to .347.

3. The Blue Jays have won a major league-high 15 games in June and the Rays are second with 14.

PREDICTION: Rays 5, Blue Jays 2