Toronto @ Milwaukee preview
American Family Field
Last Meeting ( Jun 19, 2012 ) Toronto 10, Milwaukee 9
Neither the Toronto Blue Jays nor the Milwaukee Brewers have had a shortage of power over the first two contests of their three-game interleague series. The teams will attempt to outslug each other again Wednesday in the rubber game of their set. Colby Rasmus, Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion belted consecutive shots in the sixth inning, and Rasmus and Bautista went back-to-back again in the ninth off Brewers closer John Axford to give Toronto a wild 10-9 victory Tuesday.
The ninth-inning blasts trumped Aramis Ramirez's 10th career grand slam that had given Milwaukee a 9-6 advantage. They also helped the Blue Jays end their 11-game losing streak at Milwaukee. Lawrie also went deep as the Blue Jays raised their home-run total this season to 100, one behind the New York Yankees for the major-league lead. In Monday's series opener, Ramirez hit a tiebreaking home run in the seventh inning that required the help of video replay but helped Milwaukee overcome blasts by Lawrie, Encarnacion and Bautista.
TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, Rogers Sportsnet (Toronto), FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee), MLB Network
PITCHING MATCHUP: Undecided vs. Brewers RH Yovani Gallardo (5-5, 4.23 ERA)
After calling upon Jesse Chavez to make his first major-league start Tuesday, the Blue Jays are likely to go with another first-timer due to the plethora of injuries to their starting rotation. Two potential candidates are right-handers Chad Jenkins and Deck McGuire, who both are with Double-A New Hampshire. Neither has posted stellar numbers, however, as Jenkins is 3-6 with a 5.20 ERA and McGuire 2-8 with a 6.62 ERA.
Gallardo is coming off a no-decision at Minnesota on Friday in which he allowed three runs and eight hits over six innings. The 26-year-old Mexican has won three of his last four decisions. Gallardo, who has yielded three earned runs or less in eight of his last nine starts, will be facing the Blue Jays for the first time in his career.
WALK-OFFS
1. The sixth-inning blasts by Rasmus, Bautista and Encarnacion on Tuesday marked the sixth time in Blue Jays history three players have hit consecutive home runs.
2. Axford, whose wife gave birth to the couple's second child earlier in the day, suffered his fourth blown save of the season and third in his last five opportunities.
3. Brewers OF Ryan Braun singled in the first inning to extend his hitting streak to 14 games. The reigning National League MVP also has hit safely in 24 straight interleague contests.