Toronto @ Miami preview
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Last Meeting ( Jun 23, 2012 ) Toronto 7, Miami 1
If Mark Buehrle is going to break his personal four-game losing skid, he'll have to do it against one of the hottest-hitting teams in baseball. Buehrle faces a familiar foe Sunday afternoon as the leads the host Miami Marlins into the finale of a three-game interleague set with the Toronto Blue Jays. The visitors have been on fire of late, scoring 19 runs in claiming the first two games of the series. Buehrle will be opposed by Toronto's Jesse Chavez, making his second career major-league start.
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, Rogers Sportsnet (Toronto), Fox Sports Florida (Miami)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH Jesse Chavez (0-0, 8.22 ERA) vs. Marlins LH Mark Buehrle (5-8, 3.82 ERA)
Chavez takes his second straight turn in the rotation in place of the injured Brandon Morrow. He didn't stick around long last time out, surrendering four runs over 2 2/3 innings against the Milwaukee Brewers. A 42nd-round pick of the Texas Rangers in 2002, Chavez made 144 career relief appearances with four different teams before being tabbed to make his first career start. The 28-year-old has never faced the Marlins in his career.
After two straight hard-luck losses to Atlanta and Boston earlier in the month, Buehrle was full value for his most recent defeat. The veteran southpaw was tagged for six runs in just five innings on the way to a 7-5 loss at the hands of the Red Sox. Buehrle, who joined the Marlins as an offseason free agent, is already just one loss shy of his total from all of last season. He's 6-4 with a 2.64 ERA in 16 career appearances (15 starts) vs. Toronto.
WALK-OFFS
1. Blue Jays CF Colby Rasmus belted a grand slam in Saturday's 7-1 victory, giving him four home runs and 12 RBIs over his last seven games.
2. The current Toronto roster is hitting a collective .258 against Buehrle, with Jose Bautista the only Blue Jays player to homer off of him.
3. The Marlins have a 6.90 ERA over their last 17 games - and not surprisingly, they're just 2-15 in that span.