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Indians-Blue Jays Preview

Jul 22, 2009 - 3:37 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Cleveland (36-57) at Toronto (46-47), 7:07 p.m. EDT

Hoping to revive his career, Carl Pavano has put together a respectable season for the Cleveland Indians.

The veteran right-hander tries for a third straight victory while looking to help the Indians to a second straight road win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday night at Rogers Centre.

After four injury-filled years with the New York Yankees, Pavano (8-7, 5.13 ERA) has been solid for the most part in his first season with last-place Cleveland (37-57), which snapped a four-game losing streak with a 2-1 win in Tuesday's series opener.

Pavano returns to the mound for the first time in 1 1/2 weeks after manager Eric Wedge opted to skip his last start in order to give the 33-year-old some extra rest after the All-Star break.

Since going 0-3 with an 8.85 ERA in his final four starts of June, Pavano is 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA in July. He allowed two runs and seven hits while striking out six in eight innings of a 5-4 win at Detroit on July 11.

Pavano's recent success and overall performance this season could make him a potential subject of trade rumors as next week's deadline approaches. Pavano doesn't appear too concerned about indirectly auditioning for other teams.

"This is the uniform I'm wearing now," Pavano told the Indians' official Web site. "I still have to get ready to pitch every fifth day. They made a commitment to me, and I'm committed to them."

Pavano is 2-3 with a 5.45 ERA in seven starts versus the Blue Jays (46-48), who had won two in row coming into this set.

The Blue Jays were unable to protect a 1-0 lead in the ninth Tuesday as Victor Martinez hit a two-run double for the Indians, who have scored three runs or fewer in six of their last eight games.

"It's always great when you win a game, especially like this," said Martinez. who's batting .360 (9 for 25) with four doubles and six RBIs versus Toronto this season.

The Indians, who are 3-3 against the Blue Jays in 2009, get their first look at Toronto rookie Ricky Romero in this contest.

Romero (7-4, 3.25) allowed four runs and five hits while walking five in 4 1-3 innings of a 4-1 loss to Boston on Friday. The left-hander was 4-0 with a 2.28 ERA in his previous six starts since losing at Texas on June 11.

Scott Rolen hit his seventh homer and All-Star Aaron Hill snapped an 0-for-19 slump with two hits for Toronto, which has lost 15 of its last 21 games.

"We're just trying to go out there and play hard every day," Romero told the Blue Jays' official Web site. "We're keeping our eyes off that whole how many games we're back (of first place in the AL East)."

Rolen is batting .360 (9 for 25) with two homers against Cleveland this season, but is a career .206 hitter with two home runs versus Pavano.

Hill is hitting .357 (10 for 28) against the Indians in 2009.