Toronto @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 27, 2014 ) Boston 2, Toronto 5

The Boston Red Sox are in the business of helping teams improve their postseason positioning, thanks in part to a back end of the bullpen that suddenly is springing holes. The Toronto Blue Jays will try to take advantage of those holes when they visit Boston for the start of a three-game series on Friday. Red Sox All-Star closer Koji Uehara gave up a pair of ninth-inning home runs in a crushing loss at New York on Thursday and has been awful of late.

Uehara, whose shutdown work in the ninth inning played a large role in Boston’s run to the World Series title last year, has allowed at least one run in five of his last six appearances. The Blue Jays, who sit 4 1/2 games behind Detroit for the second American League wild card, certainly know how to take advantage of struggling pitchers and have put themselves back into position to make a move down the stretch with five straight wins. Toronto could not come up with the big hit when it hosted the Red Sox from Aug. 25-27, dropping the first two games in extra innings before claiming a 5-2 win in the finale.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, RSN (Toronto), NESN (Boston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH Drew Hutchinson (9-11, 4.47 ERA) vs. Red Sox RH Allen Webster (3-3, 6.69)

Hutchinson emerged from a rough patch with back-to-back brilliant outings, including Saturday's turn against New York in which he held the Yankees to one hit over seven scoreless innings to earn the win. The 24-year-old struck out nine in that outing and has fanned 16 in 13 frames over his last two starts. Hutchinson suffered through a terrible start at home against Boston on July 21, when he was lit up for six runs on nine hits in 2 2/3 innings.

Webster looked as if he was beginning to figure out how to attack major-league lineups with three straight quality starts but fell off the pace again over the last two. The 24-year-old was ripped for 12 runs on 13 hits over 8 1/3 innings in his last two starts - both losses. Webster, who runs into trouble with his control from time to time, issued three walks in four innings at Tampa Bay on Saturday.

WALK-OFFS

1. Red Sox 2B Dustin Pedroia (concussion) has missed the last five games but could return on Friday.

2. Toronto RHP Chad Jenkins broke his right hand shagging fly balls on Thursday and is expected to miss the rest of the season.

3. Boston 3B Will Middlebrooks went 4-for-36 with 17 strikeouts on the team's just-completed 5-5 road trip.

PREDICTION: Red Sox 6, Blue Jays 5