Cleveland @ Toronto preview
Rogers Centre
Last Meeting ( May 13, 2014 ) Cleveland 4, Toronto 5
Holding leads has been no easy task for the Toronto Blue Jays, but the return of closer Casey Janssen seems to have stabilized the struggling bullpen. Janssen and the Blue Jays made a one-run lead hold up late in Tuesday's win over the visiting Cleveland Indians, and they'll try to clinch a series victory when the teams square off Wednesday. Toronto has won two straight following a three-game skid to get back to .500 while Cleveland has won five of its last seven.
Janssen isn't likely to see action Wednesday — he has pitched in back-to-back games since returning from a back injury suffered at the end of spring training — but his presence in the back end of the bullpen has bolstered Toronto relief corps. The Indians have faced their own bullpen problems and recently demoted John Axford in favor of the closer-by-committee approach. Cleveland has been in plenty of close contests lately as seven of its last 10 games have been decided by one or two runs.
TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, Sports Time Ohio (Cleveland), SNET (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Corey Kluber (3-3, 3.48 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Dustin McGowan (2-1, 4.63)
Kluber has been inconsistent in his first eight starts but he has been good more often than not lately. He has three quality starts in his last four outings with a 1.91 ERA and 38 strikeouts to six walks over that span. Kluber's only previous start against the Blue Jays was April 19 in Cleveland, when he allowed five runs — four earned — in 6 2/3 innings of a 5-0 loss.
McGowan hasn't gone deep into many games in 2014 and lasted only five innings his last time out, allowing two runs on seven hits over five innings in a no-decision against the Angels. He hasn't suffered a loss since his first outing of the season, but the Blue Jays have won only two of the seven games he has started. McGowan is 0-2 with an 11.05 ERA in four games (three starts) against the Indians, but he hasn't made a start against them since 2008.
WALK-OFFS
1. Toronto RF Jose Bautista has reached base in 39 of his 40 games this season.
2. Blue Jays CF Colby Rasmus missed Tuesday's game with a tight hamstring but is considered day-to-day and hopes to avoid a trip to the disabled list.
3. Indians 1B Nick Swisher is 2-for-15 with eight strikeouts against McGowan.
PREDICTION: Indians 6, Blue Jays 3