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Dickey seeks to extend current surge against Red Sox

Sep 22, 2013 - 12:29 PM (Sports Network) - While the Boston Red Sox prepare for their postseason journey, the Toronto Blue Jays are just trying to establish some positive momentum for next season.

That includes hurler R.A. Dickey, who takes the mound for the Blue Jays on Sunday afternoon in the rubber match of a three-game set with the AL East- champion Red Sox.

Dickey, who is set to match his career high of 33 starts set last season, has gone 13-12 with a 4.21 earned run average in his first season with the Blue Jays, but is 4-0 over his last five outings. He has a 2.73 ERA over that time and hurled seven scoreless innings of four-hit ball to beat the New York Yankees on Tuesday, striking out eight.

"It would be nice to continue to grow. These are important games, for me in particular. We are going to be competing next year. It is important to start getting it right now," said Dickey, who won the NL Cy Young Award with the New York Mets last season.

The 38-year-old righty has not faced Boston since getting drilled for seven earned runs over 4 2/3 innings on April 7 in his second start with the Blue Jays. The knuckleballer is 2-2 lifetime versus the Red Sox with a 5.26 ERA.

Following an extended rest due to a slump, Felix Doubront will make his first start today for Boston since Sept. 6.

The left-hander has allowed 10 runs over a pair of no-decisions this month and lasted just 3 2/3 innings last time out versus the Yankees. He gave up six runs on three hits and six walks.

Doubront, 25, is 2-2 in his career versus the Blue Jays with a 4.97 ERA.

The Red Sox clinched their division title with a victory on Friday night and rested a few starters in last night's 4-2 loss. It did mark the first setback of the season for Clay Buchholz, who had won his first 11 decisions while missing 82 games with a neck injury.

Buchholz yielded three runs on six hits over six innings, taking his first loss since Oct. 1 of last year.

"I feel good. The movement on all my pitches is there," Buchholz said following his third start since missing three-plus months of action due to injury. "It's just about the command and location and where to start it, which is sometimes hard to get better. The velocity is there and the body feels good."

Jonny Gomes and David Ross knocked in runs for the Red Sox, who had won two in a row and sit 1 1/2 games up on Oakland for the best record in the league. They wrap their regular season with two games in Colorado before a three-game set at Baltimore.

Mark Buehrle tossed six effective innings in the win for the Blue Jays. He scattered one run and five hits over his outing while surpassing the 200- inning mark for a 13th straight season.

"Steady Eddie, doing what he has been doing his whole career. You get 25 Buehrles and you are probably gonna have a good year," said Jays manager John Gibbons in praise of his starter, the most consistent on his staff.

Adam Lind, Rajai Davis and J.P. Arencibia drove in a run each for the Blue Jays, who recovered from a 6-3 loss in Friday's opener and will try to win two straight for the first time since a three-game win streak from Sept. 6-8.

Boston is 10-8 versus the Jays this season.