Detroit @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 7, 2016 ) Detroit 4, Toronto 5

The surging Toronto Blue Jays attempt to extend their winning streak to seven games when they host the Detroit Tigers on Friday for the second contest of their four-game set. Toronto made it six straight victories with a 5-4 triumph in the series opener, rallying from a late two-run deficit to climb within two games of first-place Baltimore in the American League East.

Troy Tulowitzki orchestrated the comeback, recording an RBI single in the seventh inning to get the Blue Jays within 4-3 before delivering a two-run base hit in the following frame to provide the final margin. While Toronto is on the upswing, Detroit has lost three of its last four contests and sits 6 1/2 games behind Cleveland for first place in the AL Central. Two of those setbacks occurred in Cleveland, where the Tigers were outscored 17-4 before salvaging the series finale with a 12-2 triumph. Nick Castellanos hit his career-high 17th home run Thursday, a solo shot that gave him three blasts and eight RBIs over his last three contests.

TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, FSN Detroit, Sportsnet, TVAS (Toronto)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Mike Pelfrey (2-7, 4.78 ERA) vs. Blue Jays LH J.A. Happ (11-3, 3.54)

Pelfrey settled for a no-decision at Tampa Bay on Sunday after allowing just one run and six hits in 6 1/3 innings. The 32-year-old native of Ohio is unbeaten in his last four outings despite being lit up for six runs and 12 hits by Seattle on June 20 and yielding four runs and 12 hits in a win over Miami eight days later. Pelfrey has made three career starts against Toronto, going 1-1 with a 4.96 ERA.

Happ has posted 11 victories in each of the last three seasons and looks to match his career high of 12, which he set in 2009 while with Philadelphia. The 33-year-old from Illinois won his fifth consecutive start Sunday, when he limited Cleveland to one run and five hits while recording a season-high 11 strikeouts in seven innings. Happ fell to 1-1 lifetime against the Tigers on June 6 after surrendering six runs and six hits over five frames.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Blue Jays need to improve in the clutch after going 3-for-17 with runners in scoring position and stranding 14 baserunners in the series opener.

2. Detroit LF Justin Upton doubled and homered Thursday for his third two-hit performance in five games.

3. Toronto LF Michael Saunders, who went 2-for-4 on Thursday with an RBI and three runs scored, is the leader among five players vying for a spot on the AL All-Star roster in the Final Vote, which ends Friday afternoon.

PREDICTION: Blue Jays 6, Tigers 3