Tampa Bay @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 4, 2014 ) Toronto 1, Tampa Bay 0

The Toronto Blue Jays thrust themselves back into the race for the wild card in the American League with a good week but are still facing an uphill battle. The Blue Jays will aim for their fifth straight win when they open a three-game series against the visiting Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays are out of the race but are still playing a role down the stretch and battled the New York Yankees tough while dropping two of three in the Bronx this week.

Toronto is 3 1/2 games behind the Detroit Tigers in the race for the second wild card spot and began its homestand by outscoring the Chicago Cubs 28-3 in a three-game sweep. The Blue Jays are 9-2 in their last 11 contests, including a three-game sweep at Tampa Bay to start September. The Rays have not given up despite being seven games under .500 and are 37-35 on the road after a devastating loss on Thursday in which Alex Cobb took a no-hitter into the eighth inning before the bullpen melted down in a 5-4 walk-off setback.

TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, Sun Sports (Tampa Bay), RSN (Toronto)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RP Nathan Karns (NA) vs. Blue Jays LH J.A. Happ (9-9, 4.44 ERA)

Karns is making his season debut in place of place of Drew Smyly, who was shut down this week after reaching his innings limit. Karns made three starts with the Washington Nationals in 2013, going 0-1 with a 7.50 ERA, and spent 2014 with the Rays’ Triple-A affiliate in Durham. The 26-year-old went 9-9 with a 5.08 ERA in 27 starts for the Bulls but pitched well in a playoff start last week, allowing one run in seven innings.

Happ fell to 1-4 in his last eight starts with a poor outing at Boston on Saturday, allowing four runs on seven hits and three walks in six innings. The 31-year-old has surrendered at least four runs in three of his last five starts. Happ came out of the bullpen against Tampa Bay on July 12 and yielded two runs on three hits while recording two outs, pushing his ERA to 6.75 in six career appearances against the Rays

WALK-OFFS

1. Tampa Bay SS Yunel Escobar is 5-for-7 with three extra-base hits and five RBIs in the last two games.

2. Blue Jays RF Jose Bautista has 10 RBIs in the last four games.

3. Toronto starters have gone at least six innings in 17 straight games.

PREDICTION: Blue Jays 8, Rays 4