Oakland @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 11, 2015 ) Oakland 2, Toronto 4

The white-hot Toronto Blue Jays go for their 10th consecutive victory on Wednesday night when they continue their three-game series against the visiting Oakland Athletics. The Blue Jays have won 12 of 13 overall - including 12-0 with Troy Tulowitzki in the starting lineup - to pull within a half-game of the first-place New York Yankees in the American League East.

Toronto shuffled its pitchers for the next two games, moving left-hander Mark Buehrle back a day in favor of knucklerballer R.A. Dickey, who is unbeaten in his last five starts. Dickey will attempt to continue a superb second half from the Blue Jays' rotation, which is 14-2 with a 2.68 ERA since the All-Star break. The Athletics committed a pair of costly errors, including the major league-leading 30th by shortstop Marcus Semien, in Tuesday's 4-2 setback. It snapped a three-game winning streak for Oakland, which has scored a combined seven runs in dropping its last four games at Rogers Centre.

TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, CSN California (Oakland), SNET (Toronto)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Aaron Brooks (1-0, 2.41 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH R.A. Dickey (6-10, 3.93)

Acquired in the deal that sent Ben Zobrist to Kansas City, Brooks has been a revelation in his first two turns with the Athletics after making a pair of relief appearances with the Royals. He did not factor in the decision despite seven strong innings of one-run ball against Houston last Thursday. The 25-year-old Brooks won his first start with Oakland by limiting Cleveland to one run and five hits over 7 1/3 innings on August 1.

Dickey lost his last four starts before the All-Star break but has been among the league's hottest pitchers in the second half, going 3-0 and allowing a total of four earned runs in his last five starts. He held the Yankees to one run in seven innings on Friday, marking his fourth consecutive start of at least seven frames. He pitched 8 1/3 innings of two-run ball versus the Athletics on July 23 to improve to 3-5 against them.

WALK-OFFS

1. Blue Jays RF Jose Bautista homered Tuesday to extend his hitting streak to seven games.

2. Athletics 3B Danny Valencia has hit safely in all five games and knocked in six runs since he was acquired on waivers.

3. Blue Jays DH Edwin Encarnacion (finger) has sat out two straight games.

PREDICTION: Blue Jays 5, Athletics 3