Tigers at Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are demonstrating quite the power display as they vie for their first trip to the postseason since Joe Carter emphatically ended the 1993 World Series. After belting three homers in a 5-3 win in the opener, the host Blue Jays look to slug their way to a series victory when they continue their three-game set versus the tumbling Detroit Tigers on Saturday afternoon.
Toronto, which leads the the New York Yankees by 1 1/2 games in the American League East, has scored 60 runs and launched 14 homers en route to winning six of its last seven contests. Edwin Encarnacion added an RBI double to extend his career-high hitting streak to 23 games, but he'll receive his first look at Saturday starter Buck Farmer. While the Blue Jays have won 22 of their last 27, the Tigers have dropped seven of their last eight to fall behind a bevy of teams in the race for the second wild card. Ian Kinsler homered among his two hits in the opener to improve to 18-for-43 (.419) during his last 10 contests, but is just 2-for-10 in his career versus Saturday starter Drew Hutchinson.
TV: 1:07 p.m. ET, FSN Detroit, RSN (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Buck Farmer (0-2, 7.80 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Drew Hutchinson (12-2, 5.06)
Farmer's no-hit bid went by the boards on Monday as he allowed a pair of homers and three runs total to walk away with a no-decision versus Cincinnati. The 24-year-old has been taken deep eight times in nine appearances (30 innings) while allowing 27 runs on 39 hits. Farmer is still searching for his first major-league win despite making 13 appearances (six starts).
Due to three days off in its schedule, Toronto shuffled Hutchinson to Triple-A Buffalo with the intent of having the right-hander make one start before being recalled for Saturday's tilt. The 25-year-old has won his last three outings for the Blue Jays and improved to 4-0 in his last seven on Aug. 16 after allowing one run on three hits in 6 2/3 innings of a 3-1 triumph over the Yankees. Hutchinson has flourished at home, posting a 10-1 mark with a 1.08 WHIP while limiting the opposition to a .226 batting average.
WALK-OFFS
1. Toronto SS Troy Tulowitzki, who homered on Friday, has hit safely in eight of his last 10 games.
2. Blue Jays 3B Josh Donaldson also went deep, but is just 2-for-16 in his last four contests.
3. Detroit OF Anthony Gose belted a two-run homer against his former team on Friday to hit safely for the fourth time in five outings.