Boston @ Toronto preview
Rogers Centre
Last Meeting ( Apr 6, 2013 ) Boston 0, Toronto 5
All the positive emotion created by the Boston Red Sox’s series-opening win over the Toronto Blue Jays came to a screeching halt less than 24 hours later. The Red Sox will try to rebound from a two-hit shutout when they complete their three-game series Sunday in Toronto. Boston’s victory on Friday gave manager John Farrell a win against his former team, but the Red Sox lost starter John Lackey to an apparent right biceps strain and were shut down by four Blue Jays’ pitchers 5-0 on Saturday.
Toronto won for the second time in three games, generating all of its offense on a two-run homer by J.P. Arencibia and three-run shot from Colby Rasmus. Jose Reyes continued his torrid hitting in this series, collecting two more hits on Saturday after his 4-for-5 effort in Friday’s loss. Entering this season, Reyes was 8-for-36 against Boston and had two multi-hit games in nine career games against the Red Sox.
TV: 1:07 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), RSN (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox LH Jon Lester (1-0, 3.60 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH R.A. Dickey (0-1, 4.50)
Lester surrendered career highs in hits (216), home runs (25) and ERA (4.82) in 2012, but fared better in collecting a win in his first start this season against the New York Yankees. Although he needed 96 pitches to get through five innings, the left-hander yielded two runs and five hits, walking two and striking out seven. Lester is 11-7 with a 3.86 ERA in 22 career starts against Toronto and has baffled several of its best hitters, such as Jose Bautista (10-for-45), Edwin Encarnacion (4-for-21) and Adam Lind (3-for-27).
Dickey, the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner, got off to a bit of a shaky start in his season-opening loss to Cleveland Tuesday. The 38-year-old knuckleballer allowed four runs – three earned – and five hits in six innings, walking four and striking out four. Dickey, who spent most of his career in the American League before making his name with the New York Mets, is 2-1 with a 4.09 ERA in nine appearances – including three starts – against the Red Sox.
WALK-OFFS
1. Arencibia is expected to sit in favor of Henry Blanco Sunday after Arencibia was charged with three passed balls in Dickey’s last outing.
2. Boston’s two hits on Saturday matched its fewest in a game against the Blue Jays.
3. Bautista missed his second straight game on Saturday due to a sore right ankle, but hit in the cage and ran on the field before the game. He is day-to-day.
PREDICTION: Blue Jays 3, Red Sox 2