Blue Jays at Mariners
Despite his efforts at the plate, Bo Bichette was unable to help the Toronto Blue Jays halt their losing streak in the series opener. Toronto managed to accomplish the feat in the middle contest thanks in part to the rookie, who seeks his third straight three-hit performance when the Blue Jays visit the Seattle Mariners in Sunday's rubber match.
Bichette recorded three singles and scored a run in the Blue Jays' 7-4 setback Friday but had a more effective 3-for-5 performance a day later. The 21-year-old belted a game-tying solo homer in the third inning and drew Toronto within 5-4 with an RBI single in the seventh before driving in an insurance run with a double in the eighth. Teoscar Hernandez has gone 3-for-6 with three RBIs over the first two games with a solo blast Saturday for Toronto, which had lost six in a row after topping Seattle at home Aug. 16. Omar Narvaez went deep for the second straight game and Kyle Seager continued his tear this month with a two-hit, two-RBI effort for the Mariners, who had won five of six contests.
TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, Sportsnet, TVA, OMNI (Toronto), ROOT Northwest (Seattle)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH Clay Buchholz (0-2, 6.57 ERA) vs. Mariners LH Marco Gonzales (13-10, 4.30)
Buchholz is expected to be activated from the injured list to make his sixth start of the season and first since May 5 because of a strained muscle in his upper back. The 35-year-old Texan has been hampered by injuries over the last three campaigns, making a total of 23 starts for three different teams, and has worked more than five innings once in his five outings this year. Buchholz, who was battered for seven runs and eight hits over four frames in a loss at Texas in his last turn, is 2-1 with a 3.12 ERA in five career starts versus Seattle.
Gonzales recorded his career high-tying 13th win Monday, when he gave up three runs and five hits in five innings at Tampa Bay. The 27-year-old native of Colorado is riding a five-start unbeaten streak at home during which he has gone 4-0 with a 2.31 ERA. Gonzales made his lone career start against Toronto on Aug. 3, 2018, yielding four runs and seven hits over seven innings of a loss.
WALK-OFFS
1. Seager has registered 22 of his 47 RBIs on the season in August and eight over his last four contests, Seattle SS J.P. Crawford has gone 9-for-21 and scored eight runs during his five-game hitting streak and 2B Dee Gordon has hit safely in nine straight contests.
2. Seattle optioned Zac Grotz to Triple-A Tacoma to make room for fellow RHP Felix Hernandez, who allowed two runs on three hits and three walks with four strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings on Saturday.
3. Toronto recalled RHP Brock Stewart, who notched the win Saturday after permitting three runs in five frames, from Triple-A Buffalo and optioned INF Richard Urena to the Bisons.