San Francisco @ Toronto preview
Rogers Centre
Last Meeting ( Jun 19, 2010 ) San Francisco 0, Toronto 3
The Toronto Blue Jays lucked out this weekend by not having to face San Francisco Giants ace Tim Lincecum.
In order to sweep the Giants out of town, the Jays will have to beat a pitcher who has been nearly as good.
Jonathan Sanchez will look to get San Francisco back on track Sunday as he leads the Giants into their interleague series finale with Toronto at the Rogers Centre. The Jays opened with a 3-2 victory Friday before blanking the Giants 3-0 Saturday afternoon.
Toronto dodged a bullet by avoiding a meeting with Lincecum, who boasts a 7-2 record with a 3.11 ERA and a league-best 106 strikeouts in 92 2/3 innings. But today’s matchup won't be an easy one - especially if Sanchez pitches like he has over the past month.
Sanchez (5-5) has been one of the steadiest hurlers in the majors over that span, surrendering just eight earned runs over his past five starts. He was strong in his previous outing, allowing two runs on eight hits in 7 2/3 innings as the Giants topped the Baltimore Orioles 10-2.
The hard-throwing lefty doesn't generate the same volume of headlines as Lincecum, but actually owns a better ERA on the season (2.78) and is no slouch in the strikeout department, ranking among the league leaders with 77. He has faced the Jays just once in his career, tossing 2 2/3 shutout innings with three strikeouts in a 7-4 loss on June 13, 2007.
Sanchez is no stranger to a lack of run support - the Giants have scored just four runs in his five losses - and he has been on the wrong end of a shutout on three occasions this season. He's hoping the San Francisco offense wakes up after hitting just .150 (9-for-60) over the first two games of the series.
The Giants made Jays starter Jesse Litsch look sensational Saturday in just his second start following ligament replacement surgery a year ago. Litsch threw seven scoreless innings, Shawn Camp followed with a spotless eighth and Aaron Hill broke a scoreless tie with a two-run homer to lead the home team to victory.
Toronto will turn to right-hander Shaun Marcum (6-3) in its quest for a weekend sweep and a fourth straight win overall. Marcum overcame back-to-back rough outings with a gem in his last appearance, allowing two runs in seven innings to lead the Jays past the San Diego Padres 6-3.
Marcum has never faced the Giants in his career.
The teams both enjoy Monday off before resuming their respective schedules. The Jays host Albert Pujols and the St. Louis Cardinals before playing a “home” series against the Phillies in Philadelphia, while the Giants conclude their six-game road trip with a series against the Houston Astros.