New York @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 5, 2014 ) NY Yankees 0, Toronto 4

CC Sabathia has had his way with the Toronto Blue Jays over the course of his sensational career - and he's hoping that trend will continue as he leads the Yankees into Sunday's rubber match of a three-game series at Rogers Centre. Sabathia struggled in his season-opening start, allowing six runs over six innings of a loss to the Houston Astros. He'll look to bounce back as he faces a Jays team against whom he owns a 13-3 career record.

If Sabathia hopes to escape with the win, he'll need more offensive support than the Yankees gave Michael Pineda on Saturday. New York had multiple baserunners in each of the last five innings but came away with nothing en route to a 4-0 defeat that evened the series at a win apiece. Toronto sends right-hander Drew Hutchison to the mound in the finale looking for a repeat of his previous start, in which he threw 5 1/3 scoreless innings to earn the win.

TV: 1:07 p.m. ET, YES (New York), SNET (Toronto)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees LH CC Sabathia (0-1, 9.00 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Drew Hutchison (1-0, 0.00 ERA)

Sabathia is traditionally a fast starter, having posted a winning record every April for the past four seasons. But he struggled mightily against a threadbare Houston lineup, surrendering four extra-base hits - including a pair of home runs - and needing 99 pitches to get through the six frames. Sabathia faced Toronto just once in 2013, allowing three earned runs on nine hits over eight innings to earn the win in a 5-4 New York triumph April 27.

Eyebrows went up when the Blue Jays announced Hutchison would enter the season as the club's No. 2 starter. But Hutchison quelled concerns - at least temporarily - with an efficient outing in Tuesday's 4-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays. Hutchison, who missed the entire 2013 season recovering from Tommy John surgery, threw six innings of one-run ball to earn the win in his only previous meeting with the Yankees back on May 17, 2012.

WALK-OFFS

1. Toronto has won its last two home series with New York.

2. Blue Jays OF Jose Bautista, who went deep Saturday, is just 2-for-23 with eight strikeouts lifetime versus Sabathia.

3. The Yankees kick off a nine-game homestand Monday against Baltimore, becoming the final AL East team to hold its home opener.

PREDICTION: Blue Jays 5, Yankees 3