Jays look to extend streak in visit to Texas
Posted July 22, 2011 11:10 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Jose Bautista is expected to return to third base after going 3 for 12 in three starts at designated hitter following a three-game absence with an ankle injury. He doubled and drove in two as Toronto defeated the Mariners 7-5 to finish a three-game sweep Thursday.
The Blue Jays (50-49) have won eight of 10, but are 10 1/2 games behind AL East-leading Boston. Toronto hasn’t reached the postseason since winning its second straight World Series in 1993.
Despite a shaky outing his last time out, Jo-Jo Reyes (5-7, 4.94 ERA) looks to win his third straight start for the Blue Jays.
The left-hander gave up a season-high seven runs and 10 hits in 5 1-3 innings July 14, but Toronto jumped out to a 9-0 lead after two innings and cruised to a 16-7 win over the Yankees.
Reyes’ shortest outing this year came April 27 in Arlington. He allowed six runs in 2 2-3 innings, but none were earned because of a throwing error by third baseman Edwin Encarnacion, and Toronto fell 7-6.
While Texas and Toronto are playing well, the Rangers have a far greater chance of returning to the playoffs while the Blue Jays’ postseason drought appears as if it will continue.
Texas looks for its eighth straight home win Friday night when it opens a weekend series with surging Toronto.
The Rangers, who are kicking off a seven-game stretch in Arlington, have the AL’s best home record at 31-18. They took three games from Baltimore and four against Oakland at Rangers Ballpark leading into the All-Star break.
Five Rangers have batted at least .346 over the last seven home games, led by Michael Young’s .462 (12 for 26). Adrian Beltre has been limited to a .296 clip, but he’s homered four times with nine RBIs and eight runs.
Texas (56-43) had the majors’ longest winning streak this year at 12 after blanking the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday, but then dropped a pair of one-run decisions. C.J. Wilson allowed two hits over eight innings in a stellar matchup with fellow All-Star Jered Weaver, but Texas lost 1-0 Thursday as the lone run scored on an error by center fielder Endy Chavez.
The Rangers’ AL West lead over the Angels was narrowed to three games.
“Of course yesterday and today were not the results we wanted, but it’s going to happen,” first baseman Mitch Moreland said Thursday. “So (we’ve) got to get it back together. We get to go home and back into our environment and we’ll start playing good ball again.”
However, Texas has dropped five of its last six at home to Toronto, allowing 31 runs in those defeats.
The Rangers hope Colby Lewis (9-7, 4.07 ERA) can continue his strong pitching in the opener.
Since losing to Minnesota on June 11, Lewis is 4-0 with a 2.36 ERA in seven starts. The right-hander has lasted at least seven innings in five of those appearances.
Lewis came within one out of his third complete game this season Saturday at Seattle. He scattered four hits with two walks in the Rangers’ 4-0 win.
“It’s always disappointing, you always want to finish it off when you get that close,” Lewis said.
He had one of his worst performances April 25 against the Blue Jays, giving up six runs and a season-high four walks in five innings of a 6-4 loss. That dropped Lewis to 2-4 with a 9.35 ERA in six career starts against Toronto.
Two of Jose Bautista’s three career hits off Lewis have been solo homers. Though he’s failed to go deep since hitting two against Cleveland on July 9, the All-Star continues to lead the majors with 31.
