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Tigers-Blue Jays Preview

Aug 28, 2010 - 10:46 PM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS Writer

Detroit (64-65) at Toronto (67-61), 1:07 p.m. EDT

With a trip against the majors' top two teams looming, the Toronto Blue Jays would like one more win at home.

Toronto looks to take the season series over the Detroit Tigers for the third straight year Sunday when the clubs conclude a four-game set at Rogers Centre.

The Blue Jays (68-61), who begin a six-game swing Monday against Tampa Bay before facing the New York Yankees, won 5-4 on Saturday and look for their first three-game run since sweeping the Rays from Aug. 6-8.

Right fielder Jose Bautista posted his third straight two-hit game, and his two-run triple in the first inning raised his career-high RBI total to 99. However, he failed to add to his major league leading 42 homers.

Bautista is batting .458 with three homers and seven RBIs against Detroit in 2010. Despite appearing in 35 games at third base this season, he will likely remain in the outfield after Edwin Encarnacion was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained left wrist following Saturday's game.

John McDonald, who is hitting .248 in 43 games this year, is expected to see more playing time at third.

The Blue Jays, who are 4-2 on their homestand and 4-3 versus Detroit this year, will give the ball to Marc Rzepczynski (1-2, 6.31 ERA) on his 25th birthday.

The left-hander looks to rebound from his shortest career start. In three innings Tuesday during an 11-5 loss to the Yankees, Rzepczynski allowed six runs and surrendered three homers in his final inning.

Rzepczynski is 0-1 with a 10.38 ERA in two starts at Rogers Centre this season.

Facing the Tigers for the first time, Rzepczynski should be careful pitching to Miguel Cabrera. The first baseman, who is trying to homer in three straight games for the first time since Aug. 23-25, 2009, leads the majors with 106 RBIs, and is batting .375 with five homers and 10 RBIs during an 11-game hitting streak.

Cabrera is 12 for 28 with six doubles and two home runs of his 33 homers this season against the Blue Jays.

Detroit will send out Rick Porcello, who makes his first start in Toronto since a 6-2 loss in his major league debut on April 9, 2009.

Porcello, who is 1-2 with a 4.76 ERA in three career starts versus the Tigers, will try to build off his best game of the season. The right-hander retired the first 12 batters he faced and surrendered two hits in seven scoreless innings of Tuesday's 9-1 win over Kansas City.

Porcello (6-11, 5.43) was 1-4 with a 5.15 ERA in seven starts since being recalled from Triple-A Toledo on July 17.

"It's good to see him getting back to his old self and what he's capable of," third baseman Brandon Inge said of Porcello, who was 14-9 with a 3.96 ERA as a rookie last season. "We need him bad."

Bautista is 4 for 7 lifetime versus the Tigers starter.