Cleveland @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 1, 2015 ) Cleveland 3, Toronto 5

Ryan Goins and the Toronto Blue Jays look to continue their respective torrid stretches on Wednesday when they play the rubber match of the three-game series versus the visiting Cleveland Indians. After limping to a .188 batting average last year, Goins belted a two-run homer in the 10th inning of Tuesday's 5-3 victory to improve to 15-for-34 (.441) with nine runs scored during his 11-game hitting streak.

Speaking of hitting streaks, Edwin Encarnacion saw his career-high 26-game stretch come to a halt but Josh Donaldson is 8-for-20 with seven RBIs in his five-game run. While American League East-leading Toronto has won 25 of its last 31 to remain 1 1/2 games ahead of the second-place New York Yankees, Cleveland saw its six-game winning streak come to a halt and resides five games out in the race for the second wild card. Former Blue Jay Yan Gomes went deep twice on Tuesday and is 4-for-11 with three homers, seven RBIs and four runs scored in his last three outings. Gomes hasn't been as fortunate against Wednesday starter R.A. Dickey, going 1-for-5 in his career with three strikeouts.

TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland), RSN (Toronto)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Trevor Bauer (10-10, 4.31) vs. Blue Jays RH R.A. Dickey (9-10, 4.25)

After issuing a staggering six walks against the Yankees on Aug. 23, Bauer cut the number in half five days later and allowed one run on five hits in eight innings to record a victory over the Los Angeles Angels. The third overall pick of the 2011 draft, Bauer would love to duplicate the more recent effort when he faces the Blue Jays for the second time this season. The 24-year-old Bauer was blitzed for six runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings before escaping with a no-decision on May 3.

Dickey won his second straight start and improved to 6-0 in his last eight outings after pitching 6 2/3 strong innings in a 5-3 triumph over Detroit on Friday. The 40-year-old knuckleballer surrendered two homers and has been taken deep five times in the last five starts, although he kept the ball in the park in his last meeting with Cleveland. Dickey picked up the win despite yielding four runs on as many hits in six innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cleveland LF Michael Brantley homered among his two hits on Tuesday and is 14-for-35 with 10 runs scored in his last nine games.

2. Toronto 1B Justin Smoak is 0-for-7 in his last three contests after recording back-to-back multi-hit performances in his previous two games.

3. Indians 3B Giovanny Urshela is 2-for-16 (.125) in his last five contests.

PREDICTION: Blue Jays 4, Indians 2