Rockies 2 - 5 Blue Jays
Final
  for this game

Blue Jays eye sweep of visiting Rockies

Jun 19, 2013 - 6:15 PM (Sports Network) - Veteran lefty Mark Buehrle makes his third career start against the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday night, when the Toronto Blue Jays host them and go for the sweep in the finale of a three-game interleague series at Rogers Centre.

The 34-year-old, who's made 435 big-league appearances, has faced the Rockies twice in that stretch - winning a lone decision while allowing six runs on 12 hits in 14 2/3 innings of work.

He's walked four Colorado batters, struck out six and held the Rockies to a paltry .235 batting average, 37 points below his career mark.

The Missouri native turned in his best start of the season in his last outing, tossing seven scoreless innings of four-hit ball in an 8-0 defeat of the Texas Rangers in Arlington last Friday.

He's 2-1 in seven home starts in 2013 and Toronto has won six of his last 10 outings overall.

Buehrle will be opposed by 26-year-old Dominican Juan Nicasio, who faces the Blue Jays for the first time in his 39th big-league start.

The third-year major-leaguer is winless in five outings since May 19, when he scattered three hits across six scoreless innings of a 5-0 defeat of San Francisco.

He's lost one decision and gotten no verdict four times in the subsequent games, including a 5 2/3-inning outing against Philadelphia last Friday as he allowed five runs in a game the Rockies ultimately lost, 8-7.

Nicasio is 2-1 in seven road starts this spring and Colorado is 5-5 in his last 10 overall.

On Tuesday, Edwin Encarnacion went 2-for-4 with a homer and three RBI and J.P. Arencibia added three hits, including a homer, and drove in a pair of runs as the Blue Jays pounded the Rockies, 8-3.

Maicer Izturis added a solo homer and Adam Lind drove in a run and scored once for the Blue Jays, winners in seven straight games.

Esmil Rogers (3-2), who carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning, gave up three runs -- two earned -- on four hits while striking out five over 6 2/3 innings.

Wilin Rosario and Nolan Arenado had one RBI apiece for the Rockies, losers in five of their last seven games.

Jeff Francis (3-2) was charged with all eight runs on 10 hits over six frames.

The Rockies and Blue Jays split the first 12 games in the all-time series, with the home team winning each time. Colorado swept Toronto by scores of 5-3, 1-0 and 10-3 when they met for three games at Coors Field in 2010.

They last met in Toronto in 2007, with the Blue Jays winning by 9-8, 11-6 and 5-0 counts.






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