Cleveland @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 31, 2010 ) Cleveland 2, Toronto 1

The Cleveland Indians needed a solid spot start on Saturday, and they got it out of Josh Tomlin.

They'll be hoping for a similar result from Jeanmar Gomez on Sunday.

Gomez makes his second career major-league start as the Indians face the Toronto Blue Jays in the rubber match of their three-game series at the Rogers Centre. The Jays opened the series with an 8-1 victory on Friday but were silenced by Tomlin on the way to a 2-1 loss on Saturday.

Tomlin was pressed into action following a trade that saw regular Saturday starter Jake Westbrook shipped to the St. Louis Cardinals. The 25-year-old Tomlin was impressive, allowing one run on four hits in 5 1/3 innings with five strikeouts. He left with the game tied 1-1, and Cleveland went on to win on a Shin-Soo Choo run-scoring double in the top of the seventh inning.

After the game, Cleveland continued its overhaul as it sent closer Kerry Wood to the New York Yankees just ahead of the non-waiver trade deadline. Wood, who had been activated from the disabled list earlier in the day, will help strengthen the Yankees bullpen for the stretch run.

Cleveland fans will get a look at another solid young pitcher in Gomez (1-0), who was impressive in his first call-up earlier this season. The 22-year-old right-hander surrendered two runs, both unearned, on five hits over seven innings in a 7-2 win over the Detroit Tigers two weeks ago.

Gomez, who tossed a perfect game in the minors last season, is just 6-8 for Triple-A Columbus on the season but has registered a 1.80 ERA over two starts since being sent down. Another quality outing could see him remain with the big club for the foreseeable future, as it looks for a suitable long-term replacement for Westbrook.

Gomez will face a Toronto lineup that struggled from start to finish on Saturday, as it saw its four-game winning streak halted. The Blue Jays managed just five hits against a quartet of Cleveland hurlers, with Jose Molina's fifth-inning solo blast providing Toronto's only offense of the afternoon. The Jays had scored 30 runs over its previous four games.

Toronto stood pat at Saturday's trade deadline, involved in several rumors but ultimately deciding to stand pat. Relievers Scott Downs and Jason Frasor were thought to have been on the trading block, but the Jays decided to hang onto them and take their chances with draft pick compensation should either or both men leave as free agents in the offseason.

Toronto sends Jesse Litsch (1-4) to the hill in the series finale. Litsch has made three straight solid starts after struggling to open the season, lowering his ERA nearly two full points to 5.48.

The 25-year-old earned a no-decision in his previous start, allowing two runs on five hits over 5 1/3 innings against Detroit in a game the Jays went on to lost 6-5. He beat the Kansas City Royals in the outing before that for his first major-league victory since Sept. 28, 2008.

Litsch has faced Cleveland once in his career, limiting the Indians to a pair of runs over six innings but dropping a 3-1 decision on June 30.