Toronto @ Arizona preview
Chase Field
Last Meeting ( May 21, 2010 ) Toronto 6, Arizona 8
The Toronto Blue Jays' resurgence offensively has a key component that was not part of the equation in spring training.
Leadoff hitter Fred Lewis was acquired on April 15 from the San Francisco Giants and the transition to the American League was not easy at first. He hit .200 in the first 12 games with his new team.
It’s been a different story ever since. Lewis belted a leadoff home run on Friday against the Arizona Diamondbacks, as the outfielder has become quite settled in across the border.
Overall, Lewis is hitting .288 with 21 runs, three home runs and 15 RBIs. Nothing that will put him on the roster for the All-Star Game, but it has been a good fit for the Blue Jays’ explosive lineup.
The 29-year-old Lewis should be back at the top of the order Saturday as the Blue Jays look to even the series at Chase Field against the Diamondbacks, who have won three in a row for the first time this season.
Taking the mound against the fierce Blue Jays’ lineup will be the up-and-down Edwin Jackson, who is coming off a masterpiece that saw him strike out 12 in an eight-inning victory at the Florida Marlins.
The main component in the Diamondbacks’ offseason three-team blockbuster deal with Detroit and the New York Yankees, Jackson has had trouble building off quality starts this season.
As soon as the right-hander seems to be turning things around, he get pounded for an extended period of time, but Jackson's last start was different. It got the point that there were hints that he might get moved to the bullpen – ala Carlos Zambrano of the Chicago Cubs – to help out a historically bad bullpen.
His last outing quelled those thoughts.
Jackson had the Marlins flailing at his nasty slider after missing his mid-90s fastball.
It is something he and the team need him to build on in becoming more consistent.
The Blue Jays counter with a former Diamondback in left-hander Dana Eveland, who made one start in the big leagues for Arizona in 2007 before being sent to the Oakland Athletics in the Dan Haren trade that offseason.
Eveland started the season well, going 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA after three starts, but has just one quality start since when he threw seven shutout innings in a win against the White Sox.
He is facing an offense in the Diamondbacks that leads the National League not only in home runs but also in batting average with runners in scoring position. Arizona seems to be in an offensive surge since returning home, scoring 29 runs over the last three games.
First baseman Adam LaRoche is doing much of the damage with three home runs during the winning streak, while All-Star outfielder Justin Upton is rounding into shape, hitting .325 over his last 10 games.