Tampa Bay @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 7, 2010 ) Tampa Bay 11, Toronto 17

After the mother of all debuts, Toronto Blue Jays fans will undoubtedly be wondering what catcher J.P. Arencibia has in store for an encore.

Arencibia looks to build off a sensational major-league opening as he leads the Blue Jays into the finale of their three-game series against the visiting Tampa Bay Rays at the Rogers Centre. Toronto has won four of its last five games – against the Rays and New York Yankees, no less – while Tampa is reeling, having lost a season-high four consecutive contests.

Saturday's 17-11 Toronto victory had plenty of fireworks, most of them generated by Arencibia. One of the top catching prospects in the majors, the 24-year-old pounded out four hits, including a pair of homers, and finished with three runs scored and three RBIs in his major-league debut.

He became the first player since Mark Quinn in 1999 to bash out two homers in his first major-league game, and the first player in the modern era to do it as part of a four-hit performance. He was also the first Toronto player to homer in his first at-bat since Junior Felix turned the trick in 1989.

Arencibia wasn't the only Blue Jay to provide outfield souvenirs Saturday. Toronto bashed out eight home runs, its highest single-game total since hitting a major league-record 10 against the Baltimore Orioles in September 1987. Aaron Hill joined Arencibia with a pair of homers while Jose Bautista, Adam Lind, Lyle Overbay and Edwin Encarnacion added shots.

Toronto's already wide margin in the major-league home run race grew following Saturday's shootout. The Jays now have 175 homers for the season, 29 more than the runner-up Boston Red Sox.

The Rays will send crafty right-hander Andy Sonnanstine (2-0) to the mound to try and put a lid on the Jays' booming bats. Sonnanstine will be making the spot start in place of Jeff Niemann, who was scratched with right shoulder injury.

It will be the first start of the season for Sonnanstine following 30 relief appearances, and his first action since coming off the disabled list after suffering a strained left hamstring in mid-July. The 27-year-old is 2-2 lifetime against the Blue Jays with a 5.92 ERA over 38 innings.

Despite his struggles, he has only surrendered three home runs against Toronto over his career.

The Jays counter with strikeout specialist Brandon Morrow (8-6), who will try to hand Tampa Bay its first sweep since late-May. Morrow is on a personal three-game winning streak, and he has pitched well against the Rays this season, going 1-1 with a 2.08 ERA over 13 innings.

Morrow's last game wasn't the strongest, as he was touched up for five runs over 5 1/3 innings against the New York Yankees. He added nine strikeouts, and the Toronto bats did just enough in an 8-6 win.

The Rays continue their road voyage with a three-game series in Detroit beginning Monday night. The Blue Jays have an off-day Monday – their second in a five-day span – before opening a three-game set Tuesday night against the visiting Boston Red Sox.