NY Yankees at Toronto - May 5^th 2015 7:07 PM ^ET Preview

The Toronto Blue Jays returned home after a 3-7 road trip and rediscovered the pitching that had abandoned them during their travels. The Blue Jays eye back-to-back victories for the first since a three-game home sweep of Baltimore from April 21-23 on Tuesday when they continue their three-game set against the New York Yankees.

Toronto saw its ERA increase to 5.13 after allowing 6.3 runs during its 10-game journey through Tampa Bay, Boston and Cleveland. R.A. Dickey played the role of stopper in the Blue Jays’ 3-1 win in the opener with eight strong innings while former Yankee Russell Martin helped complete a late rally with a go-ahead single in the eighth inning. New York has won five straight series since dropping its first three, which included a three-game set at home versus Toronto to begin the season. The Yankees will try to even the series by turning to the undefeated Michael Pineda, but he is 0-2 in three career starts in Rogers Centre.

TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, YES (New York), SNET-1 (Toronto)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Michael Pineda (3-0, 3.73 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Marco Estrada (1-0, 0.84)

Despite getting his start pushed up two days to help the team cover for Masahiro Tanaka's forearm injury, Pineda acquitted himself well in Wednesday’s 3-2 extra-inning loss to Tampa Bay, settling for a no-decision after yielding two runs over 5 2/3 innings. The 26-year-old Dominican sports a 32:2 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 31 1/3 innings and is 1-2 with a 3.93 ERA in six all-time turns against the Blue Jays. Pineda also did not factor into the decision on April 8 versus Toronto, permitting two runs in six frames.

Estrada will draw his first start for the Blue Jays after coming over from Milwaukee in a November trade for Adam Lind. The Long Beach State product, who will attempt to fill the void left behind by the demotion of rookie Daniel Norris, has thrived in six relief appearances with Toronto, working 9 2/3 scoreless innings over his last five outings. Estrada languished in 18 starts with the Brewers last season, going 7-6 with a 4.96 ERA while allowing 27 of his league-high 29 home runs.

WALK-OFFS

1. Toronto RF Jose Bautista (shoulder) is expected to resume throwing this week, but is unlikely to return to the field until next week. He has been limited to designated-hitter duties over the last eight games.

2. Pineda has silenced Bautista (2-for-17 with a homer) and Edwin Encarnacion (4-for-16) – the only two Blue Jays that have logged more than seven at-bats against him.

3. Toronto hitting coach Brook Jacoby was suspended 14 games on Monday for his postgame conduct toward the umpires following an April 29 game at Boston.