Tampa Bay @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 17, 2015 ) Tampa Bay 2, Toronto 6

The Tampa Bay Rays were one of the only teams to control the Toronto Blue Jays’ bats in the first half of the season by holding them to a .198 average while winning seven of 10 games. The Blue Jays countered with a pair of homers and six runs in the first game after the All-Star break and look to build off that when they host the Rays on Saturday afternoon.

Josh Donaldson and Justin Smoak each went deep in the 6-2 triumph Friday as Toronto won for only the fifth time in its last 15 contests and tied Tampa Bay for second in the American League East. Donaldson is 13-for-38 against the Rays this season while fellow sluggers Edwin Encarnacion (4-for-36) and Jose Bautista (2-for-26) have struggled. Tampa Bay saw its three-game winning streak end, but John Jaso hit safely for the seventh time in eight games since returning from the disabled list. The Rays are 22-19 on the road overall, but have dropped eight of their last nine away from home.

TV: 1:07 p.m. ET, MLB Network, Sun Sports (Tampa Bay), SNET (Toronto)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Erasmo Ramirez (8-3, 3.63 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH R.A. Dickey (3-10, 4.87)

Ramirez has been a big reason the Rays are in the playoff chase after being acquired late in the preseason, standing second on the team in wins. The 25-year-old Nicaragua native is 6-1 in his last eight starts, allowing one or fewer runs in seven of those outings. Donaldson is 6-for-17 with a homer versus Ramirez, who yielded 10 runs (nine earned) in 7 1/3 innings during two starts against the Blue Jays in April.

Dickey has lost four straight starts, beginning with an outing against the Rays when he permitted three runs and eight hits over seven innings on June 23. The veteran knuckleballer came into this season 6-5 lifetime versus the Rays, but is 0-3 with a 6.11 ERA in three starts against them in 2015. Logan Forsythe is 5-for-17 with a pair of doubles versus Dickey, who has recorded all three of his wins at home in six decisions.

WALK-OFFS

1. Tampa Bay 3B Evan Longoria is 15-for-36 with six walks in 11 games against the Blue Jays in 2015.

2. Toronto rookie 2B Devon Travis is 10-for-23 during a six-game hitting streak.

3. Rays OF Grady Sizemore is 1-for-23 in his last seven games, but homered Friday and has RBIs in each of the last three games.

PREDICTION: Blue Jays 6, Rays 3