Detroit @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 5, 2015 ) Toronto 10, Detroit 5

The Toronto Blue Jays look to rebound from a rare misstep when they begin a nine-game homestand with the opener of a three-game series against the Detroit Tigers on Friday. Edwin Encarnacion had an RBI double to extend his career-high hitting streak to 22 games, but Toronto suffered a 4-1 setback to Texas to snap a five-game winning streak with their fifth loss in 26 contests.

The 32-year-old Dominican has collected 24 RBIs during a streak that dates to July 26 and will see a familiar face in former teammate Matt Boyd, who was shipped to the Rangers in the David Price deal at the trade deadline. While the Blue Jays hold a 1 1/2-game lead over the second-place New York Yankees in the American League East, the tumbling Tigers mustered just two hits in Thursday's 2-0 setback to the Los Angeles Angels for their sixth loss in seven games. J.D. Martinez ripped a triple to improve to 10-for-28 (.357) during his seven-game hitting streak, and is 3-for-8 (.375) with a homer and two RBIs versus Friday starter R.A. Dickey.

TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, FSN Detroit, RSN (Toronto)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers LH Matt Boyd (1-4, 7.04 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH R.A. Dickey (8-10, 4.26)

Boyd fell to 0-2 in his last four starts despite allowing three runs on five hits in six innings in a 4-2 setback to Texas on Sunday. The 24-year-old rookie surrendered a homer versus the Rangers after keeping the ball in the park in three of his previous four outings. Boyd will be making his seventh career start and first versus Toronto, which selected him in the sixth round of the 2013 draft.

Dickey continued to turn his season around and improved to 5-0 in his last eight starts despite surrendering five first-inning runs in a 12-5 triumph over the Los Angeles Angels. The 40-year-old lasted six frames to pick up the win in that one, but also permitted five runs on 11 hits in an 8-3 setback to Detroit on July 4. Dickey has pitched better at home, posting a 6-3 mark with a 3.31 ERA while limiting the opposition to a .198 batting average.

WALK-OFFS

1. Detroit 1B Miguel Cabrera went 2-for-2 in the first meeting with Toronto on July 3 before suffering a calf injury that sidelined him for nearly six weeks.

2. Toronto OF Ben Revere is 14-for-29 (.483) with 10 runs scored during his seven-game hitting streak.

3. The Tigers took two of three from the Blue Jays last month in a series that saw the clubs combine to score 40 runs.

PREDICTION: Blue Jays 7, Tigers 2