Tampa Bay @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 12, 2014 ) Tampa Bay 1, Toronto 0

The Toronto Blue Jays attempt to awaken their bats when they host the Tampa Bay Rays in the middle contest of their three-game set Saturday afternoon. Toronto was limited to two hits in a 1-0 loss in the series opener as J.A. Happ was outdueled by Nathan Karns. The setback halted the Blue Jays' four-game winning streak and dropped them four games back in the race for the American League's second wild-card spot.

Karns allowed just a double and a single as Toronto came up empty after outscoring the Chicago Cubs 28-3 during a three-game sweep earlier in the week. Ryan Hanigan was the offensive hero for Tampa Bay on Friday as he led off the third inning with his fifth career home run. The Rays are 2-2 on their six-game road trip and have won four of their last seven overall.

TV: 1:07 p.m. ET, SNET (Toronto)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Jeremy Hellickson (1-3, 3.71 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH R.A. Dickey (12-12, 3.84)

Hellickson's winless streak reached six starts Sunday when he settled for a no-decision after allowing two runs and four hits over 5 1/3 innings against Baltimore. The 27-year-old has not won since Aug. 6 at Oakland, where he yielded just one run and two hits in seven frames. Hellickson fell to 5-4 lifetime against Toronto on Sept. 2 as he was tagged for five runs on eight hits and two walks in only 3 1/3 innings.

Dickey is coming off his third straight win, a 3-1 triumph at Boston on Sunday in which he allowed a run and six hits in seven innings. The 39-year-old knuckleballer yielded a total of four earned runs in his last three outings and has given up more than two just once in his last six turns. Dickey evened his career mark versus the Rays at 5-5 on Sept. 2 as he bested Hellickson by allowing two runs on two hits and three walks in seven frames.

WALK-OFFS

1. Toronto's starting pitchers have worked at least six innings in 18 straight games.

2. Friday's shutout was the 20th pitched by Tampa Bay this season, which leads the AL.

3. After wrapping up this series on Sunday, the Blue Jays embark on their final road trip of the season, which consists of a three-game series at Baltimore and a four-game set at New York.

PREDICTION: Blue Jays 6, Rays 2