Athletics at Blue Jays
Slugger Khris Davis hopes to continue a power surge when his Oakland Athletics visit the Toronto Blue Jays for the second of a four-game set Friday night after taking the series opener. Davis went 4-for-4 with his fourth homer in seven games Thursday for a 10-5 victory as the Athletics improved to 9-4 against American League East opponents with a third win in four contests overall.
Davis, who belted 85 homers over the past two seasons combined, has registered 15 RBIs in his last 13 games and is 7-for-15 in the past four contests while Matt Olson and Matt Chapman also went deep Thursday for Oakland. Brett Anderson, who went 2-2 in seven starts with Toronto last season, gets the start for the Athletics on Friday and the Blue Jays will counter with veteran right-hander Marco Estrada. Toronto has lost four of its last five - giving up 32 runs in the four setbacks - while dropping to the .500 mark (22-22) and is just 11-12 at home in the early going. Justin Smoak is 6-for-18 with seven RBIs during a five-game hitting streak for the Blue Jays and teammate Kevin Pillar is 4-for-9 with a pair of runs batted in in the past two contests.
TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, NBCS California (Oakland), Sportsnet (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics LH Brett Anderson (0-2, 8.16 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Marco Estrada (2-3, 5.32)
Anderson registered a quality start in his season debut on May 2, holding Seattle to two runs over six innings, but has struggled in his last two outings. The 30-year-old Texan gave up 13 runs (11 earned) on 18 hits and five walks with four strikeouts over eight innings in his last two trips to the mound. Curtis Granderson is 5-for-12 with a homer versus Anderson, who took the loss while yielding two runs across six innings in his only appearance against Toronto.
Estrada has allowed at least four runs in five of his last six outings after starting the season with two straight quality starts and a victory. The 34-year-old Mexico native, who gave up four runs across six innings against Boston last time out, has permitted 10 homers and a .281 batting average over 44 innings. Jed Lowrie is 3-for-6 and Marcus Semien owns a homer against Estrada, who is 0-2 with a 6.75 ERA in three career starts versus the Athletics.
WALK-OFFS
1. Toronto OF Teoscar Hernandez, who boasts a five-game hitting streak (7-for-20), sat out Thursday due to a sore back.
2. Semien is 11-for-34 with six RBIs during a seven-game hitting streak after recording a single in five at-bats Thursday.
3. Toronto 3B Josh Donaldson is 5-for-24 with 11 strikeouts over the last six contests, dropping his average to .233.