Blue Jays at Indians
The Toronto Blue Jays look to continue their strong start with the bats when they visit two-time Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber and the Cleveland Indians for the middle contest of a three-game set on Saturday afternoon. The Blue Jays are averaging almost six runs over the last 12 games while winning nine times after rallying from an early 4-0 deficit for an 8-4 victory over the Indians on Friday night.
Aledmys Diaz belted a three-run homer to tie the game and outfielder Teoscar Hernandez, who was recalled earlier in the day to replace injured Josh Donaldson (shoulder) on the roster, knocked in a pair of runs in the comeback for Toronto. Newcomer Jaime Garcia will take the ball for the Blue Jays to oppose Kluber, who makes his fourth start of the season and has struck out 27 in 23 innings during his first three appearances. Cleveland saw its five-game winning streak come to an end after failing to score in its last seven trips to the plate Friday after scoring twice each in the first two. Two-time All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor is starting to warm up for the Indians, collecting seven hits in 14 at-bats with four doubles, a homer, five runs scored and five RBIs in his last three contests.
TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, Sportsnet One (Toronto), SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays LH Jaime Garcia (1-0, 3.18 ERA) vs. Indians RH Corey Kluber (1-1, 1.57)
Garcia earned his first win with the Blue Jays last Sunday after allowing three runs, five hits and two walks with five strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings at Texas. The 31-year-old Mexico native was even better in his season debut against the Chicago White Sox while giving up one run on four hits and striking out seven over six frames in a no-decision before Toronto won 4-2. Jose Ramirez is 3-for-6 with a double versus Garcia, who went 0-2 with a 5.59 ERA last season against the Indians - his first two career matchups with Cleveland.
Kluber boasts three quality starts in three opportunities and produced his best outing last time out against Detroit when he yielded two hits over eight scoreless innings with 13 strikeouts. The 32-year-old Alabama native went 0-1 in his first two starts despite surrendering just four runs on nine hits over 15 innings combined while striking out 14 and walking three. Kluber, who is 2-3 with a 4.46 ERA lifetime versus the Blue Jays, will be glad that Donaldson is out of the lineup as he is 7-for-19 with a homer and five RBIs against him.
WALK-OFFS
1. Ramirez is 6-for-17 with two homers and three RBIs during a five-game hitting streak.
2. Toronto CF Kevin Pillar has hit safely in six straight games, going 8-for-22 during that stretch.
3. The Indians allowed nine runs during a 6-1 stretch before giving up eight on Friday night.