Blue Jays at Red Sox
The Toronto Blue Jays have won 10 straight games and are showing no signs of slowing down. The Blue Jays will try to post No. 11 and wrap up a three-game sweep when they visit the Boston Red Sox on Sunday.
Toronto busted out the offense in a 13-10 victory in Friday’s opener and then leaned on what had been the team’s weakness – the bullpen – in finishing off Saturday’s 5-4, 11-inning triumph. Four relievers combined to allow three hits in five scoreless innings without walking a batter, giving Russell Martin enough time to put the Blue Jays on top to stay with a solo homer in the top of the 11th. The Red Sox are losers of five in a row and squandered a seven-run lead on Friday before battling back to tie and then going cold on Saturday. Last-place Boston is just 10-20 against the other teams in the American League East.
TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, SNET (Toronto), NESN (Boston)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH Marco Estrada (3-3, 3.78 ERA) vs. Red Sox LH Eduardo Rodriguez (2-0, 0.44)
Estrada has posted two straight wins and three consecutive quality starts, scattering three runs and seven hits over seven innings to beat Miami on Monday. The 31-year-old issued a total of two walks in 20 innings over those last three turns. Estrada earned himself a spot in the rotation by pitching three scoreless innings of relief at Boston on April 28 and picking up a win.
Rodriguez continues to be one of the few bright spots for the Red Sox and has dominated in each of his first three major-league starts. The Venezuela native could not get any help from the offense at Baltimore on Tuesday and ended up without a decision despite allowing three hits and striking out seven in six scoreless frames. Rodriguez won his lone previous start at home on June 3 while limiting the Minnesota Twins to one run and two hits in seven innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Red Sox CF Mookie Betts (sprained lower back) missed Saturday and “will need a couple of days” before returning to the lineup according to manager John Farrell.
2. The Blue Jays reached an agreement on Saturday with first-round draft pick RHP Joe Harris.
3. Toronto SS Jose Reyes has hit safely in 10 straight games.