Athletics at Blue Jays
The first-place Toronto Blue Jays can match their longest winning streak of the season when they go for their 11th consecutive victory and a three-game sweep of the visiting Oakland Athletics on Thursday afternoon. Wednesday's win enabled the Blue Jays to leapfrog the New York Yankees for the American League East lead - the latest they've been in first place in a season since 1993.
Toronto's offense had been relatively quiet over the past four games before busting out in Wednesday's 10-3 drubbing. Chris Colabello (four RBIs) and Justin Smoak each clubbed three-run homers as the Blue Jays scored at least 10 runs for the 17th time this season. Oakland third baseman Danny Valencia, who was waived by Toronto earlier this month, has three homers and seven RBIs during a six-game hitting streak since joining the Athletics. Sonny Gray, seeking his 13th victory, attempts to prevent a sweep for Oakland when he opposes veteran left-hander Mark Buehrle.
TV: 12:37 p.m. ET, CSN California (Oakland), SNET (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Sonny Gray (12-4, 2.06 ERA) vs. Blue Jays LH Mark Buehrle (12-5, 3.34)
Gray pitched his third complete game in six starts last time out, lowering his AL-leading ERA to 2.06 by limiting Houston to one run and five hits. The 25-year-old Gray has surrendered a total of four runs in his last four turns, including a seven-inning outing in which he held Toronto to two runs and nine hits on July 22. Gray, who is 1-1 with a 2.25 ERA in three starts versus the Blue Jays, has yielded only nine homers in 23 starts.
Buehrle stretched his unbeaten streak to five starts after giving up three runs on five hits over seven innings in a victory versus Minnesota last time out. The 36-year-old Buehrle is getting an extra day of rest after allowing 10 runs over this last three turns, including a pair of no-decisions. He is 9-14 with a 3.57 ERA lifetime against the Athletics but he beat them with seven innings of one-run ball on July 21.
WALK-OFFS
1. Toronto is the first AL team since Kansas City in 1977 to notch multiple 10-game winning streaks in the same season.
2. Athletics 1B Mark Canha is 5-for-9 over his last three games.
3. Colabello has hit safely in nine straight games to boost his batting average to .328.