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Blue Jays go for fourth win in a row

Apr 8, 2008 - 12:25 PM Oakland (3-4) at Toronto (4-2) 7:07 pm EDT

TORONTO (Ticker) - For a team that hopes to contend in the powerhouse American League East this season, a sweep of the Boston Red Sox is a good way to show you're for real.

The Toronto Blue Jays try to keep rolling when they host the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday in the opener of a three-game series.

The Blue Jays looked dominant over the weekend, outscoring the defending champions 23-9 in the three-game sweep. Frank Thomas drove in eight runs in the series and hit a grand slam in Sunday's 7-4 victory.

The Athletics also had success over the weekend, taking two of three from the Cleveland Indians.

A.J. Burnett (1-0, 3.00 ERA) will take the mound for Toronto on Monday, looking to build off the success of his first start in which he dominated the New York Yankees - allowing two runs and five hits in six innings to earn a victory.

The oft-injured righthander, who looked healthy last week, is coming off a 2007 campaign in which he struck out 176 in 165 2/3 innings.

Oakland will counter with its own injury-plagued righthander, Rich Harden (1-0, 0.82). The 26-year-old has been nearly flawless so far this season, allowing one run and seven hits over two starts while striking out 15.

Harden made just 13 combined starts in 2006 and 2007 due to various injuries and as a result has been on a strict 90-pitch count to begin this season.