Toronto @ Tampa Bay preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 2, 2016 ) Toronto 3, Tampa Bay 8

The Toronto Blue Jays have played better than .500 baseball against their three closest competitors in the American League East this season, but the last-place Tampa Bay Rays are another story. The Blue Jays have lost eight of 14 games in the season series as they prepare to visit the Rays on Saturday for the middle contest of their three-game set.

Toronto still leads the East by one game over Boston after dropping the series opener 8-3 on Friday despite another big night from Josh Donaldson, who went 2-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to 11 contests. The Blue Jays, who lost for only the second time in seven games, will send All-Star Marco Estrada to the mound against Tampa Bay rookie Blake Snell, who struggled against Toronto last month. The Rays are 7-7 in their last 14 games against AL playoff contenders after Friday’s triumph and do not play a team with a sub-.500 record until meeting the Chicago White Sox from Sept. 26-29. Tampa Bay's Brad Miller belted a three-run homer Friday and is 5-for-12 with five RBIs over his last three games.

TV: 6:10 p.m. ET, Sportsnet (Toronto), FSN Sun (Tampa Bay)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH Marco Estrada (8-6, 3.37 ERA) vs. Rays LH Blake Snell (4-7, 3.56)

Estrada comes in off his best start since early August, an outing in which he allowed one run and four hits over seven innings at Baltimore on Monday. The 33-year-old Mexican, who is 5-1 on the road, gave up 14 runs and 22 hits - six homers - over 14 innings in his previous three turns. Logan Forsythe is 5-for-11 with a homer versus Estrada, who is 1-2 (0-1 in 2016) lifetime with a 1.24 ERA in eight appearances against the Rays.

Snell saw his streak of eight straight games having allowed two or fewer earned runs end last Saturday, when he gave up five runs - four earned - in three innings. The 23-year-old was removed from that game in the fourth after he was hit by a line drive on his left leg. Snell’s worst start of his rookie season was at Toronto on Aug. 10, when he permitted five runs - two earned - on five hits and four walks over 1 2/3 frames.

WALK-OFFS

1. Tampa Bay 3B Evan Longoria is two homers shy of his career high of 33, set in 2009, but is just 1-for-15 in his last four games.

2. Toronto OF Melvin Upton Jr. went 0-for-4 on Friday in his first game at Tropicana Field since leaving the Rays after the 2012 season.

3. Rays C Luke Maile is 7-for-15 with a pair of homers and four RBIs during his five-game hitting streak.

PREDICTION: Blue Jays 6, Rays 4