Philadelphia @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( May 6, 2014 ) Toronto 6, Philadelphia 5

After winning a pair of games in Philadelphia, the Toronto Blue Jays return home Wednesday to take on the Phillies in the third game of their four-game, home-and-home set. Toronto took Monday's contest 3-0 before posting a 6-5 triumph on Tuesday. Melky Cabrera singled to open the 10th inning and scored on Juan Francisco's sacrifice fly to provide the difference in Tuesday's contest.

The Phillies suffered their fourth loss in six games despite Cody Asche's first career grand slam as part of a 4-for-4 day. The Blue Jays, meanwhile, have won three in a row following a stretch of two wins in 10 games. Wednesday's pitching matchup features a pair of veteran left-handers -- Cliff Lee of the Phillies and Mark Buehrle of the Blue Jays, both of whom are off to strong starts this season.

TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, CSN (Philadelphia), SNET (Toronto)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies LH Cliff Lee (3-2, 3.00) vs. Blue Jays LH Mark Buehrle (5-1, 2.25 ERA)

Lee has twirled six consecutive quality starts since surrendering eight runs to Texas on Opening Day. He gave up two runs - one earned - and four hits in seven innings of Friday's eventual 5-3 loss to Washington. Lee has struck out seven batters combined in his last two starts after recording 23 strikeouts over the previous two starts, and he has walked multiple batters in each of his last two outings after yielding a total of two walks in his first five starts.

Buehrle has been much better on the road (4-0, 0.92 ERA) than at home (1-1, 5.91) this season - a trend epitomized by his last two starts. Back on April 25, Buehrle surrendered seven runs and 12 hits - both by far his season highs - in 5 1/3 innings of a loss versus Boston only to rebound at Kansas City on Thursday, when he yielded two earned runs in 6 2/3 innings of a 7-3 victory. The 14-year veteran is 5-2 with a 3.95 ERA in eight career starts against Philadelphia.

WALK-OFFS

1. Reserve INF Jayson Nix has two career home runs in 16 at-bats against Buehrle while every other current Phillies player combined has zero homers in 104 at-bats.

2. Lee is 2-5 with a 4.46 ERA lifetime against Toronto, although Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista has enjoyed only modest success (3-for-12, one home run).

3. Phillies SS Jimmy Rollins has not started the last two games due to a strained groin.

PREDICTION: Blue Jays 7, Phillies 3