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Blue Jays-Red Sox Preview

May 10, 2010 - 5:04 AM By MIKE LIPKA STATS Writer

Toronto (18-14) at Boston (15-16), 7:10 p.m. EDT

If the Boston Red Sox hope to eventually regain their spot among the AL East's heavyweights, they'll first need to get back to third place in the division.

Passing the red-hot Toronto Blue Jays doesn't look like an easy task.

Since getting swept by Boston at home last month, the Blue Jays have won nine of 11, and they'll try to gain some revenge in the first of three at Fenway Park on Monday night.

The Red Sox (16-16) salvaged the finale of their weekend series with the Yankees with Sunday night's 9-3 win, but they've been surprisingly mediocre this year after making the playoffs six times in the last seven seasons.

Boston remains 6 1/2 games behind Tampa Bay and six back of New York in the division, and the team's 2 1/2-game deficit behind Toronto would be even bigger if not for the Red Sox's three-game sweep in Canada from April 26-28.

The Blue Jays (19-14) have responded with an impressive stretch of play, including six wins in the first seven games of their road trip. They trailed by two in the ninth inning Sunday at Chicago, but took the lead on Fred Lewis' three-run home run and beat the White Sox 9-7.

"The guys on this ball club keep battling," manager Cito Gaston said. "They don't quit, they're having a good time. I'm having fun with them. If we continue to play this way, it will be a great season."

Lewis, acquired in a trade from San Francisco last month, is batting .414 during a six-game hitting streak. He's one of several offensive standouts on a team that wasn't projected to contend after dealing ace Roy Halladay in the offseason.

Shortstop Alex Gonzalez, who finished last season with Boston, is tied for second in the majors with 10 home runs, while Vernon Wells hit his ninth Sunday as part of a 3-for-5 game that improved his average to .339.

"You never know what to expect when you get to the ballpark," Lewis said. "You never know who the hero will be that day. It's just fun to be a part of."

The Blue Jays swept Boston at Fenway from Sept. 28-30, but they couldn't find a hero against the Red Sox last month, losing the opener 13-12 then totaling one run and nine hits in the last two games.

They avoided John Lackey (3-1, 3.89 ERA) in that series but will now face the right-hander on the heels of perhaps his best start with the Red Sox. Lackey held the Angels, his former team, to two hits and one run in seven innings of a 3-1 win on Wednesday.

"When you get good pitching it makes you look crisp," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. "Lackey got the ball on the ground and we made the plays."

The Blue Jays are looking for a crisper performance from Brandon Morrow, who has 5.4 walks per nine innings - the second-worst mark in the majors. Morrow (2-2, 5.40) has still shown plenty of promise in his last four starts, posting a 2.96 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 24 1-3 innings.

Eight of the right-hander's nine appearances against Boston came in relief, but he turned in a quality start against the Red Sox while with Seattle on July 5.

He'll face a Boston lineup that will be feeling confident after Sunday's outburst. Jeremy Hermida contributed a home run and three RBIs, giving him nine RBIs in six games during this homestand.