Oakland @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 7, 2011 ) Oakland 2, Toronto 1

THE STORY: Highly touted third baseman Brett Lawrie will play his first game before the home fans when the Toronto Blue Jays host the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday night in the opener of a three-game series. Lawrie, the Blue Jays’ top prospect who made his major league debut Friday night at Baltimore, merely whetted the appetite of Toronto fans by going 5-for-11 – including his first home run on Sunday – in the three-game series against the Orioles. Oakland is coming off two straight wins at Tampa Bay and will look to avoid adding to its major league-worst 39 road losses.

TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, CSCA (Oakland), RSN (Toronto)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Rich Harden (2-2, 4.63 ERA) vs. Blue Jays LH Brett Cecil (4-4, 4.35 ERA).

Harden made his sixth start of the season against Seattle on Aug. 2, allowing four runs on five hits in 5 2/3 innings. Harden was pounded for seven runs in 2 2/3 innings in his last outing in Toronto (May 2010) and is 0-3 in eight career starts vs. the Blue Jays. He has given up seven homers in his six starts, including one in each outing.

Cecil has found a groove since he was recalled from the minors at the end of June. The 25-year-old southpaw is 3-0 in his last five starts and has pitched at least six innings in all seven starts since returning to the majors. Cecil has posted a 2.40 ERA in winning both his career starts against the Athletics, although he hasn't faced them since the 2009 season.

ABOUT THE BLUE JAYS (58-56): Despite going 13-9 since the All-Star break, Toronto has been unable to make up any ground in the top-heavy AL East. The Blue Jays play their next 13 games against AL West opponents, including home-and-home series against the Athletics and Los Angeles Angels. Lawrie brings another potent bat to a lineup that completed the weekend tied for sixth in baseball with 127 homers. Jose Bautista, who leads the majors with 33 blasts, is batting only .151 (8-for-53) with one homer against Oakland. Yunel Escobar is 12-for-30 lifetime against the A’s, including a pair of three-hit games in April.

ABOUT THE ATHLETICS (51-63): Oakland has played .500 ball since mid-June following a disastrous 1-13 stretch that cost manager Bob Geren his job. Any moderate success away from home could have kept the A’s in the hunt for the AL West title. Oakland lost the first four of its current nine-game road trip before rebounding with back-to-back victories over Tampa Bay on Saturday and Sunday. Hideki Matsui carries a 15-game hitting streak into the series. He is batting .483 (29-for-60) with four homers and 13 RBIs during that stretch. Rookie Jemile Weeks (5-for-12) and David DeJesus (6-for-14, 2 HRs) each had a big series against the Rays.

FINAL PITCH: Blue Jays lefty Ricky Romero was named the AL Player of the Week on Monday. The first Toronto pitcher to earn the honor since Roy Halladay, Romero won both his starts last week, allowing a combined three runs on five hits while striking out 12 in 16 innings.