Rays at Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays look to build off an impressive offensive display when they host the Tampa Bay Rays in the finale of a four-game set on Thursday. Star slugger Jose Bautista, who was 0-for-4 in his previous two games, notched his first hit of the series - a two-run shot in the first inning - as the dormant Blue Jay bats exploded for 13 hits in the 12-7 win Wednesday.
Josh Donaldson's hot hitting continued as he went 3-for-5 with three RBIs and he's 5-for-9 in his last two games as Toronto hopes to earn a split in the series. Tampa Bay aims to bounce back from its first loss in five games after Erasmo Ramirez was pulled just 3 1/3 innings into his Rays debut. Tampa Bay starters had allowed just five earned runs over the past 38 innings before Ramirez gave up seven on eight hits on Wednesday. Steven Souza Jr. continued to produce at the plate, homering in back-to-back games for the first time in his career as the Rays hope to conclude a seven-game road trip with a 5-2 record before playing their next nine at home.
TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, Sun Sports (Tampa Bay), Sportsnet 1 (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RP Chris Archer (1-1, 2.13 ERA) vs. Jays RP Aaron Sanchez (0-1, 8.10)
Archer struck out five batters and gave up just one hit over seven scoreless innings to earn his first win of the season Saturday. The 26-year-old walked one batter in the 2-0 victory over the Miami Marlins and matched a franchise record by allowing three earned runs or less in 13 consecutive starts on the road. The fourth-year pro has silenced Toronto sluggers Bautista (.095) and Edwin Encarnacion (.190), limiting them to a combined 6-for-42 with six strikeouts.
Sanchez was pulled just 3 1/3 innings into his first start in the majors after giving up seven hits, including two homers, and three earned runs in the 7-1 loss to the Baltimore Orioles. "Obviously this isn't the way I wanted to start the season," he told reporters. "I started aiming it a little bit and it wasn't the night I wanted." The 22-year-old, who came out of the bullpen in 2014, has appeared in four games against the Rays, fanning four batters and earning a save in 5 2/3 innings of work.
WALK-OFFS
1. Toronto SS Jose Reyes is 9-for-20 (.450) versus Archer.
2. Encarnacion is 0-for-12 with two strikeouts in the series.
3. Rays CF Desmond Jennings has reached base safely in each of his last 15 games dating back to last season.