• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Blue Jays face slumping Red Sox

Apr 29, 2008 - 12:35 PM Toronto (11-15) at Boston (15-12) 7:05 pm EDT

BOSTON (Ticker) - The Toronto Blue Jays snapped a six-game losing streak on Sunday. The Boston Red Sox are hoping to end a similar slide when they open a three-game series with the Blue Jays on Tuesday.

Scott Rolen hit his first home run of the season on Sunday to help the Blue Jays salvage the finale of a three-game series with a 5-2 victory the Kansas City Royals.

After missing the first three weeks of the season due to a fractured middle finger, Rolen finished with a pair of hits and two RBI on Sunday. The club hopes he will bolster and offense that was outscored 31-16 over its six-game losing streak.

Meanwhile, the Red Sox suffered their fifth-straight loss during a 3-0 setback to the Tampa Bay Rays.

Boston, a team which has been hit hard by the flu this past week, dropped two of three games to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim before enduring a three-game sweep by the Rays.

After a strong start, Boston has slipped into a three-way tie with Tampa Bay and the Baltimore Orioles atop the American League East.

Jon Lester (1-2, 5.40 ERA) tries to get the Red Sox back on track when he toes the rubber on Tuesday.

The 24-year-old lefthander will be opposed by Blue Jays starter Roy Halladay (2-3, 3.73), who has suffered two losses in his last three games despite pitching complete games in each defeat.