Tampa Bay @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 9, 2016 ) Tampa Bay 9, Toronto 2

J.A. Happ has provided quite the return on the Toronto Blue Jays' investment this season. Signed to a three-year, $36 million deal in the offseason, Happ puts his string of a career-high nine straight victorious decisions on the line Wednesday as the host Blue Jays play the rubber match of their three-game series versus the Tampa Bay Rays.

The 33-year-old's 15 wins this season have comfortably surpassed his previous best total in 2009, although none have come at the expense of Tampa Bay. Happ settled for a pair of no-decisions versus the Rays in April before getting shredded for a career high-tying eight runs on seven hits - including two homers - in a 13-2 shellacking on May 16. Evan Longoria, who is batting .385 in his career against Happ, collected three hits and as many RBIs in Tuesday's 9-2 victory over Toronto. The 30-year-old is 6-for-15 with two homers, five RBIs and four runs scored in his last four games.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays LH Blake Snell (3-4, 2.95) vs. Blue Jays LH J.A. Happ (15-3, 3.09)

Happ isn't the only one pitching well, as Snell has yielded just five earned runs on 17 hits en route to a 2-0 mark in his last four outings (23 1/3 innings). Taken a step further, the 23-year-old has allowed two or fewer runs in five straight outings and in eight of his 10 career starts overall. Snell has yet to face Toronto in his young career, but has shown a great deal of comfort while pitching on the road - posting a 1.85 ERA and 1.07 WHIP while limiting the opposition to a .198 batting average.

Happ won his third straight start in dominating fashion on Thursday after allowing one run on four hits in six innings of a 4-1 triumph at Houston. The veteran left-hander has permitted just two runs on eight hits while striking out 23 during his last three outings. Happ has struggled against Steven Souza Jr., who is 5-for-11 versus the hurler and enters Tuesday's contest on a five-game hitting streak.

WALK-OFFS

1. Tied with Baltimore atop the AL East, Toronto hasn't done itself any favors by dropping seven of 12 encounters with cellar-dwelling Tampa Bay.

2. Rays 2B Logan Forsythe is 6-for-10 with two homers, three RBIs and four runs scored in the series.

3. Blue Jays 2B Devon Travis has seven RBIs and six runs scored during his six-game hitting streak.

PREDICTION: Blue Jays 4, Rays 1