Milwaukee @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 20, 2012 ) Toronto 3, Milwaukee 8

Both teams look to solidify leads in their divisions when the Milwaukee Brewers visit the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday to start a two-game interleague set. The Brewers held a 6 ½-game lead in the National League Central through Sunday after winning four of their last five and could get Carlos Gomez (neck) and Jean Segura (quad) back from injuries. All Star outfielder Jose Bautista (hamstring) may also return for the Blue Jays, who lead the American League East by one game over Baltimore.

Bautista, who missed six games before pinch hitting Sunday in the 4-0 loss to the Chicago White Sox, might start as the designated hitter and join slugger Edwin Encarnacion (25 homers) in the middle of the lineup. Toronto has lost its last three games as its high-octane offense was held to seven runs combined. Gomez and Segura missed Sunday’s 10-4 loss to Colorado while Jonathan Lucroy - batting a robust .334 - extended his hitting streak to seven games.

TV: 1:07 p.m. ET, FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee), SNET (Toronto)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Marco Estrada (7-4, 5.06 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Drew Hutchison (5-6, 4.00)

Estrada is coming off his best effort in more than a month, allowing only two runs over 6 1/3 innings in a 9-2 victory over Washington on Wednesday. The Long Beach State product, who will face Toronto for the first time, has surrendered a major league-high 24 homers – none in his last outing. Jose Reyes is 4-for-11 with three RBIs against the 30-year-old who is in his seventh season.

Hutchison has managed just one victory in his previous five starts and permitted eight runs over 10 1/3 innings in his last two outings. The Lakeland, Fla., native has shown his inconsistency as he prepares to face Milwaukee for the first time, yielding two or fewer runs in eight of his 16 turns and five or more in four of them. Hutchison is also only 1-4 with an 8.13 ERA at home in 2014.

WALK-OFFS

1. Milwaukee has not played at Toronto since 2005 and won five of six games in the series since – last meeting in 2012.

2. Toronto C Dioner Navarro is 15-for-46 with 10 RBIs over the last 13 games.

3. Milwaukee RHP Francisco Rodriguez leads the majors with 27 saves and the Brewers are 42-1 when leading after eight innings.

PREDICTION: Blue Jays 5, Brewers 4