Texas @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 8, 2010 ) Texas 8, Toronto 1

Shawn Hill's return to a major-league mound will come just a few miles away from where he first learned how to pitch.

Hill makes his first big-league start in more than 16 months Thursday night as the Toronto Blue Jays wrap up a four-game series against the visiting Texas Rangers. Toronto has won two of three in the series, and is an impressive 7-2 against Texas this season.

While the Blue Jays continue their September spoiler role in Thursday's finale, Hill will make what is sure to be an emotional 2010 debut. The 29-year-old hasn't seen major-league action since April 25, 2009, when he suffered an arm injury while pitching for the San Diego Padres.

The original diagnosis was soreness in his right biceps muscle, but an MRI revealed a torn elbow ligament and he underwent Tommy John surgery in June. Hill, who grew up just outside Toronto, was released by the Padres in October and signed in January with his hometown team.

He was sensational in 11 minor-league rehab starts, posting a 1.61 ERA with 39 strikeouts in 56 innings. The right-hander had his contract purchased from Triple-A Las Vegas on Monday, and he's expected to have family and friends in attendance for Thursday's start.

Hill, who was drafted by the Montreal Expos in 2000, has never faced the Rangers in his career.

He'll be looking to lead the Jays to their third series victory of the season over Texas. Toronto had its seven-game winning streak against the Rangers halted in emphatic fashion Wednesday night as Texas cruised to an 8-1 victory, halting its five-game losing skid.

Derek Holland stymied the Toronto offense over five shutout innings while Ian Kinsler and Nelson Cruz homered in the victory. That allowed the Rangers to remain seven games up on Oakland in the American League West race following the Athletics' 4-3 triumph over Oakland.

The Rangers aim for a series split as they counter with struggling right-hander Colby Lewis (9-12). The 31-year-old hasn't registered a victory since July 16, going 0-7 in nine starts over that span.

Lewis hasn't exactly pitched poorly over the past 2 1/2 months. He allowed three runs or fewer in five of those nine starts, but has been plagued by a stunning lack of run support that has seen the normally potent Rangers offense generate just 17 runs in his last nine outings.

No amount of offensive backing was going to help Lewis in his last start. He was torched for nine runs in just 3 2/3 innings on the way to a 12-4 loss in Minnesota It was his worst performance since surrendering 10 runs in 3 1/3 innings to the Chicago White Sox on May 22, 2007, the year before he left the majors to play in Japan.

Lewis is just 1-3 all-time against the Blue Jays with a 10.80 ERA over 18 1/3 innings. He faced them earlier this season, allowing five runs on 5 2/3 innings and taking the loss in a 5-2 Toronto victory.