Chicago @ Toronto preview

Chi. Cubs at Toronto

Last Meeting ( Sep 8, 2014 ) Chi. Cubs 0, Toronto 8

If the Toronto Blue Jays fall short in the American League wild-card race, it won't be on account of Jose Bautista's bat. Bautista has hit eight home runs during a 12-game hitting streak and looks to stay hot when the host Blue Jays continue a three-game series with the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday. The Cubs have been outscored 28-7 during a four-game losing streak.

Bautista hit his 200th home run as a Blue Jay in Monday's 8-0 win in the series opener, helping Toronto remain five games behind Seattle for the AL's final playoff spot. Toronto will try to keep the offense rolling against Jake Arrieta, who opposes longtime Chicago White Sox left-hander Mark Buehrle. Current Blue Jays are a collective 9-for-62 with 14 strikeouts against Arrieta, and Adam Lind (4-for-9, HR) is the only Toronto player with more than one hit against the former Orioles right-hander.

TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, CSN (Chicago), SNET (Toronto), TVA Sports (Toronto)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs RH Jake Arrieta (8-5, 2.81 ERA) vs. Blue Jays LH Mark Buehrle (11-9, 3.34)

Arrieta has recorded quality starts in four of his last five outings and 14 of his last 16. The 28-year-old bounced back from a rough start at Cincinnati by beating Milwaukee on Tuesday with six innings of one-run ball. Arrieta is 3-2 with a 6.00 ERA in six games (five starts) against the Blue Jays, including a 1-2 mark and 7.31 ERA in three starts at Rogers Centre.

Buehrle is winless in his last six starts, but the Blue Jays have been on the winning end of four of those games. That includes Thursday's 1-0 win at Tampa Bay in which Buehrle didn't get a decision despite eight innings of five-hit ball. The 35-year-old is 6-5 with a 4.05 ERA in 15 starts against the Cubs, but he hasn't faced them since 2012.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Blue Jays have homered in 12 straight games, matching their longest streak since a 13-game stretch from June 22-July 5, 2011.

2. Cubs RF Jorge Soler has hit safely in nine of his first 10 big-league games.

3. Bautista is 0-for-10 versus Arrieta.

PREDICTION: Blue Jays 4, Cubs 1