Tampa Bay @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 13, 2016 ) Tampa Bay 6, Toronto 2

The Toronto Blue Jays remain firmly in the race to defend their American League East title and still have a hold on a wild-card spot, but their lack of recent success against the last-place Tampa Bay Rays is putting their postseason aspirations in some peril. The Blue Jays attempt to halt their September swoon and win the rubber match of their three-game set versus the visiting Rays on Wednesday when the division rivals finish out their season series.

Toronto took Monday's opener 3-2 in a game highlighted by a brief benches-clearing skirmish that did not feature any punches being thrown, but Tampa Bay retaliated with a 6-2 win Tuesday for its seventh victory in its last 11 tries during the season series. The Blue Jays (79-65) failed to take advantage of East-leading Boston's loss to Baltimore to remain two games off the pace in the division but watched as the Orioles pulled even with them in the wild-card chase -- two games ahead of Detroit and the New York Yankees. Toronto, which fell to 3-8 this month with Tuesday's defeat, hasn't done much to help its cause lately either while scoring three runs or fewer in six of its past eight. Tampa Bay improved to 10-8 versus the Blue Jays in 2016 with its most recent win, giving the Rays their eighth season series victory over the last nine years in this division rivalry.
TV: 12:37 p.m. ET, FSN Sun (Tampa Bay), Sportsnet (Toronto)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Alex Cobb (0-0, 4.09 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Marco Estrada (8-8, 3.68)
Cobb held his own en route to his second no-decision in as many starts since making his return from Tommy John surgery, yielding four runs (three earned) across six innings in Thursday's road loss to the Yankees. The 28-year-old, who has issued only one free pass in 11 innings thus far, allowed two runs and fanned seven over five frames against Toronto on Sept. 2. Cobb is 2-2 with a 4.45 ERA in five starts versus the Blue Jays but has held current Toronto hitters to a .217 average.
Estrada dropped his second straight start and lost for the fourth time in his last five decisions following Friday's defeat against Boston after giving up four runs (three earned) on six hits and three walks over 2 1/3 innings. Since posting a 2.95 ERA in his first 20 outings, the 33-year-old Long Beach State product has produced a 7.71 ERA in his last five turns. Estrada hasn't enjoyed much luck despite pitching well in nine appearances (five starts) versus the Rays, however, going 1-3 with a 2.18 ERA.

WALK-OFFS
1. Tampa Bay is 0-6-1 in its last seven road series and has lost nine consecutive sets in AL parks.
2. Blue Jays 3B Josh Donaldson (hip) sat out for the second straight game on Tuesday but is expected to return for the finale. The defending AL MVP is 0-for-23 during a career-worst seven-game hitless streak.
3. The Rays have belted 198 home runs this season, one shy of matching the club record set in 1999.

PREDICTION: Blue Jays 6, Rays 5