Toronto @ Tampa Bay preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 12, 2014 ) Toronto 3, Tampa Bay 10

The Tampa Bay Rays look to extend their unbeaten streak in home series against the Toronto Blue Jays to 22 in the rubber match of a three-game set on Sunday. David Price, who boasts a 14-2 career record versus Toronto, was scratched from Saturday’s scheduled start due to illness, but is expected to go in the final game before the All-Star break. R.A. Dickey, who gave up six runs in five innings to the Rays on Opening Day, goes for the struggling Blue Jays – 2-7 in their last nine games.

Rookie Kevin Kiermaier is 8-for-11 with seven RBIs in his last three games, including three hits in Tampa Bay’s 10-3 victory on Saturday. Jose Reyes is 14-for-36 during an eight-game hitting streak for Toronto, which has beaten the Rays in six of nine meetings this season. The Blue Jays are missing three key hitters with injuries, but have had more trouble on the mound while giving up 23 runs in the last three games.

TV: 1:40 p.m. ET; SNET (Toronto), Sun Sports (Tampa Bay)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH R.A. Dickey (7-8, 3.86 ERA) vs. Rays LH David Price (8-7, 3.42)

Dickey snapped a four-game losing streak in his last start when he pitched seven scoreless innings to defeat the Los Angeles Angels 4-0 on Tuesday. The 39-year-old knuckleballer has yielded two or fewer earned runs in 10 of his last 14 starts. Four regulars are batting under .200 against Dickey, who is 4-4 in 14 career appearances (10 starts) with a 4.40 ERA versus Tampa Bay.

Price has completed at least seven innings in nine straight starts and attempts to extend his three-game winning streak, in which he has allowed five runs (four earned). The Tennessee native leads the majors with 159 strikeouts and has walked only 20 in 139 2/3 innings. Jose Bautista is 14-for-41 with five homers versus Price, who owns a 2.45 ERA in 18 career starts against the Blue Jays.

WALK-OFFS

1. Tampa Bay OF-INF Ben Zobrist, who played his 1,000th career game Saturday, is 17-for-41 over his last 10 contests.

2. Toronto OF Melky Cabrera has 116 hits, tied for fifth in club history before the All-Star break and the most since 2003 when Vernon Wells had a team-record 121.

3. Rays SS Yunel Escobar has gone 61 plate appearances without striking out, the longest active streak in the majors.

PREDICTION: Rays 5, Blue Jays 2