Toronto @ Texas preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 28, 2015 ) Texas 2, Toronto 3

The Toronto Blue Jays and the Texas Rangers are two of the hottest teams in the American League and both are pushing their way toward postseason spots. The Blue Jays will try to maintain their grip on at least a share of first place in the AL East when they hit the road for the opener of a three-game set at Texas on Tuesday.

The Rangers have won three straight and nine of 11 to surge into the second AL wild-card slot and are rallying behind a pitching staff that is allowing an average of 2.9 runs in those last 11 contests. Cole Hamels picked up his first win since joining the team on Sunday while another new acquisition, slugger Mike Napoli, homered for the second time in three games as he reacquaints himself with Texas. Toronto did the Rangers a big favor by crushing the Los Angeles Angels by a combined 36-10 in a three-game sweep over the weekend and is 4-1 on its eight-game road trip. The Blue Jays, who are tied with the New York Yankees atop the division, will send Mark Buehrle to the mound on Tuesday while Derek Holland tries to slow the Toronto offense.

TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, SNET (Toronto), FSN Southwest (Texas)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays LH Mark Buehrle (13-6, 3.45 ERA) vs. Rangers LH Derek Holland (1-1, 3.68)

Buehrle allowed more than three earned runs for the first time since May 29 on Wednesday, when he was reached for four in as many innings in a loss at Philadelphia. The veteran had gone seven innings in each of his previous three starts and 10 of 11. Buehrle won against Texas on June 26 as he yielded two runs on five hits and a pair of walks in seven frames.

Holland returned on Wednesday after missing more than four months with a strained muscle in his shoulder and beat the Seattle Mariners. The 28-year-old scattered two runs and eight hits across 6 1/3 innings while striking out six and not issuing a walk. Holland is 3-2 with a 5.02 ERA in seven career appearances – six starts – against Toronto.

WALK-OFFS

1. Blue Jays 1B Edwin Encarnacion has hit safely in 19 straight games and homered in three of his last five.

2. Texas RHP Shawn Tolleson has converted his last 12 save opportunities.

3. Toronto RF Jose Bautista went 6-for-10 with a homer, four runs scored and three RBIs in the last two games.

PREDICTION: Blue Jays 5, Rangers 4