Toronto @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 7, 2015 ) Toronto 2, NY Yankees 1

It took one extra inning, but the Toronto Blue Jays managed to strike first in a key battle for American League East supremacy. The Blue Jays will try to clinch a series win when they visit the first-place New York Yankees in the second contest of the three-game series on Saturday.

Toronto and the Yankees rank first and second in the majors, respectively, in runs scored but totaled only three in 10 innings during Friday’s series opener. All three came on solo home runs, with Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista clubbing the clinching blast in the 10th to pull his team within 3 1/2 games of New York in the East. The win marked the sixth straight and ninth in 10 games for Toronto, which will break out the newest tool in its box when David Price makes his second start for the team on Saturday. The Yankees have been held to two or fewer runs in three straight contests – dropping two – and will try to provide more support for Ivan Nova.

TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, MLBN, RSN, TVA (Toronto), YES (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays LH David Price (10-4, 2.45 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Ivan Nova (4-3, 3.10)

Price dominated in his first start after being acquired from Detroit, holding Minnesota to one run on three hits while striking out 11 over eight innings to earn the win. The former No. 1 overall pick has surrendered two or fewer earned runs in 12 of his last 14 starts. Price’s worst outing of the season came against New York on April 22, when he was lit up for eight runs on 10 hits and three walks in 2 1/3 frames.

Nova is looking to extend his winning streak to four starts after holding the Chicago White Sox to one run and five hits over six innings on Sunday. The Dominican matched his season high with seven strikeouts in that outing and has yielded two or fewer runs in five of his seven 2015 turns. Nova is 4-2 with a 4.74 ERA in 10 career games – nine starts – against Toronto.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Yankees have homered in 13 consecutive games – the longest streak for the team since 2009.

2. Toronto 3B Josh Donaldson has recorded four home runs, seven RBIs and seven runs scored in his last five games.

3. New York 1B Mark Teixeira hit the 30-homer mark on Friday for the ninth time in his career and has reached base safely in 24 straight games.

PREDICTION: Blue Jays 4, Yankees 3