The Toronto Blue Jays host the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday in the third game of a three-game set at the Rogers Centre. <\/p>\n
Tampa Bay Rays (23-30) at Toronto Blue Jays (31-22)<\/strong>
\nDate: Wednesday, May 28, 2014<\/strong>
\nTime: 7:07 PM ET<\/strong>
\nVenue: Rogers Centre<\/strong>
\nCity: Toronto, Ontario, Canada<\/strong>
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\nO\/U Odds: 6.5<\/strong>
\nMoney Line: Toronto -109, Tampa Bay +101<\/strong>
\nPitching Matchup: RH Chris Archer (3-2, 4.11 ERA) at RH Liam Hendriks (1-0, 1.59 ERA)<\/strong>
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The Blue Jays will be bringing out the brooms as they look for a sweep of the Rays, having swept each of their last two series in winning eight in a row and 11 of their last 12.<\/p>\n
Tuesday\u2019s win has the Jays at 19-7 in the month of May. They surely don\u2019t want to see the calendar turn over to June, particularly hot-hitting first baseman Edwin Encarnacion. <\/p>\n
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Encarnacion has 14 home runs in the month of May, smashing the old Blue Jays record. He\u2019s struck out only 12 times while compiling those 14 home runs.<\/p>\n
The Blue Jays hope to keep the good times rolling as they send out Liam Henriks for his second start with the organization. He impressed in his first start, controlling a red-hot Oakland Athletics lineup, limiting them to one run in 5 2\/3 innings, allowing three hits and walking three while striking out three, earning the win. The Australian compiled a 6.85 in 10 appearances with the Minnesota Twins a year ago.
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\nThe current Rays lineup doesn\u2019t have a ton of experience against Hendriks, but those that do have enjoyed plenty of success against him. The team\u2019s roster as a collective is slashing .455\/.538\/1.000 against him with two home runs in 11 at-bats.<\/p>\nThe Rays counter with Chris Archer. He\u2019s been hit or miss this season, but he\u2019s seemed to settle down with back-to-back strong outings, not allowing a run in either of his last two starts. He was especially effective in his last outing, shutting out the Boston Red Sox over six innings, striking out 11.<\/p>\n
He really needs to get the walks under control though. He\u2019s walked 13 batters over his last three starts, and has walked four or more batters in four of his last five starts. He\u2019ll need to be especially mindful of that when Jose Reyes comes to the plate. Toronto\u2019s leadoff hitter has two walks in six plate appearances against Archer, reaching base in four of six plate appearances.<\/p>\n
Archer is a good young pitcher, but he is running into a buzzsaw in the form of a red-hot Blue Jays lineup that is just mashing the ball right now. As for his counterpart, Henriks had a strong opening outing, but a regression seems in order for a guy who came to the Blue Jays with a career ERA north of six.<\/p>\n
The over is 4-0 in the last four meetings between these teams in Toronto, and it is 9-1-1 in the Blue Jays\u2019 last 11 games versus American League East opponents.<\/p>\n