Dodgers at Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays look to extend their winning streak to four games as they continue their seven-game homestand with the opener of a three-game interleague series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday. After having their home skid reach four contests with a 2-1 loss to Texas on Monday, the Blue Jays captured the final three of the four-game set - including a 12-2 thrashing on Thursday in which Edwin Encarnacion went 3-for-4 with six RBIs.
Kevin Pillar went 7-for-15 in the series with the Rangers and has hit safely in 10 of his last 12 contests. Los Angeles split a two-game set at Tampa Bay following a disastrous 1-6 homestand, outscoring the Rays by a 15-13 margin. The Dodgers are hoping Yasiel Puig is turning the corner at the plate, as the 25-year-old Cuban has posted back-to-back two-hit performances after recording just one hit in his previous five games. Los Angeles' Kenta Maeda will attempt to bounce back from the worst of his five career starts as he opposes Marcus Stroman, who is unbeaten on the season but owns a 4.95 ERA in three home outings.
TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, MLB Network, SportsNet LA (Los Angeles), Sportsnet (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers RH Kenta Maeda (3-1, 1.41 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Marcus Stroman (4-0, 3.77)
Maeda is coming off his first major-league loss, a 5-3 setback against Miami on April 28 in which he yielded four runs and seven hits over 6 2/3 innings. The 28-year-old native of Osaka, Japan surrendered a total of one run with five walks and 23 strikeouts over 25 1/3 frames in his first four starts. Maeda has yet to allow a run on the road, giving up eight hits and one walk with 12 strikeouts and a .178 opponents' batting average over 12 1/3 innings in two outings.
Stroman has not been defeated since Sept. 15, 2014, winning all four of his starts last year after returning from the torn ACL he suffered during spring training and posted his fourth victory in as many decisions this season after allowing just one run and three hits while registering a career-high nine strikeouts in eight innings at Tampa Bay on Sunday - his 25th birthday. The native of Medford, New York has posted a 0.95 WHIP and held the opposition to a .191 average in six outings this year. Stroman never has faced Los Angeles but is 3-0 with a 0.98 ERA in five career games - two starts - against National League teams.
WALK-OFFS
1. Dodgers 2B Howie Kendrick is expected to be the team's DH in the series opener.
2. Encarnacion has gone 5-for-8 with two homers and eight RBIs over his last two games.
3. Los Angeles has not faced Toronto since 2013 but is 9-6 in the all-time series.