Blue Jays at Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are already taking advantage of a stretch in which they play 21 straight games against losing teams and will look to continue beating the weak when they host the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday afternoon in the rubber match of their three-game series. Tampa Bay improved to 3-1 in its run against teams well out of playoff contention by erasing a six-run deficit Tuesday and winning 7-6 on a wild pitch with the bases loaded and two out in the 10th inning.
The Rays (66-49), who are 9-2 in their last 11 contests, maintained their half-game lead on Oakland for the final American League wild card spot while increasing their bulge over the next-best teams - Boston and Texas - to 6 1/2 games. Toronto (46-70) appeared to be headed to an easy victory with a 6-0 lead in the fourth inning but instead lost for only the third time in its last nine games - all on the road. Blue Jays rookie Bo Bichette (.415) went 2-for-5 to set a club record with a nine-game hitting streak to begin his career and also doubled for the seventh straight game - matching the longest streak in the majors this season previously accomplished by Boston's Xander Bogaerts. Tampa Bay's Brendan McKay makes his sixth career start and first against Toronto on Wednesday and opposes Wilmer Font, who was used as opener for the first time in his last outing.
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, Sportsnet (Toronto), FS Sun (Tampa Bay)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH Wilmer Font (3-2, 4.91 ERA) vs. Rays LH Brendan McKay (2-1, 4.38)
Font allowed one hit and struck out two in two innings of Toronto's 5-2 victory at Baltimore on Friday after his first four appearances with the Blue Jays came in relief. The 29-year-old Venezuelan was converted to a starter by the New York Mets after he was acquired from Tampa Bay in May but went 0-1 with a 7.84 ERA in three turns. Font pitched three innings of relief in his only appearance against the Rays, yielding one run, one hit and one walk with three strikeouts in three innings of the Blue Jays' 10-9 victory July 27.
McKay permitted three runs and seven hits (two home runs) with seven strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings of a 9-4 victory at Boston on Thursday. The 23-year-old Pennsylvania native and fourth overall pick in 2017 is 1-1 with a 5.65 ERA in three home starts. McKay has 25 strikeouts and two walks across 24 2/3 innings with a 1.18 WHIP and .273 batting average against this season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Toronto has a major league-most 503 games played by rookies this season
2. Tampa Bay is 9-0-1 in its last 10 series versus the Blue Jays, including 5-0-0 at Tropicana Field
3. Toronto rookie 3B Vladimir Guerrero Jr. on Tuesday went 0-for-5 with two strikeouts, ending his career-high nine-game hitting streak (19-for-41, four home runs, 18 RBIs, five doubles).