Tampa Bay @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( May 27, 2014 ) Tampa Bay 6, Toronto 9

The Toronto Blue Jays were 18-20 on May 11, wallowing in fourth place in the American League East, and a little over two weeks later they seem unstoppable. The Blue Jays look for their ninth consecutive victory Wednesday when they host the Tampa Bay Rays in the finale of a three-game series after posting 19 runs in the first two. Toronto allowed two or fewer runs seven times while winning 13 of its last 15 and Edwin Encarnacion has matched the club record for any month with 14 homers.

The Rays sent two hot pitchers to the mound – Erik Bedard and Alex Cobb – but neither could cool off the Blue Jays and Chris Archer gets his chance Wednesday. Tampa Bay’s offense is starting to improve, collecting 11 runs and 22 hits in the first two games of the series. Desmond Jennings has also appeared to break out of slump with at least two hits in three of his last six games for the Rays.

TV: 7:07 p.m. ET; Sun Sports (Tampa Bay), SNET (Toronto)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Chris Archer (3-2, 4.11 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Liam Hendriks (1-0, 1.59)

Archer has not allowed a run in his last two starts over 11 2/3 innings, but has thrown 223 pitches combined – a career-high 119 in his last. The 25-year-old North Carolina native has struggled with control over the last five outings, walking 19 in 26 1/3 frames. Brett Lawrie is 4-for-10 lifetime against Archer, who is 2-0 with a 2.01 ERA in four career starts versus the Blue Jays.

Hendriks was solid in his first start for the Blue Jays, yielding only one run and three hits in 5 2/3 innings to beat Oakland 3-2. The 25-year-old Australian was 5-0 with a 1.48 ERA in nine appearances (seven starts) at Triple-A Buffalo. Evan Longoria and Matt Joyce have homered against Hendriks, who gave up four runs over 5 2/3 innings in his only outing against the Rays while with Minnesota in 2012.

WALK-OFFS

1. Blue Jays 1B Adam Lind has at least two hits in five of his last eight contests, raising his average to .341.

2. Tampa Bay INF-OF Sean Rodriguez boasts nine RBIs in nine official at-bats over the last five games.

3. Toronto has homered in 10 consecutive games, totaling 20 in that span and six in the series.

PREDICTION: Rays 6, Blue Jays 1