Cleveland (47-30) at Toronto (43-37)
When: Thursday, June 30th 2016
Where: Rogers Centre, Toronto, Ontario
Time: 7:07 ET | TV: SportsTime Ohio, Sportsnet
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The Toronto Blue Jays return home to finish up the first half of the season with an 11-game homestand that will feature the top three teams in the American League Central starting with the red-hot Cleveland Indians. Toronto salvaged the last two games of their road trip in Colorado to finish 3-3 after yesterday’s 5-3 victory. It was a far cry from their previous four in which they surrendered 31 runs. The Indians improved to 6-0 on their 10-game road trip with a 3-0 win at Atlanta on Wednesday and have now won 12 consecutive games. They are outscoring opponents 76-25 during a winning streak that marks the franchise’s longest since a 13-game run in 1951. Lonnie Chisenhall is leading the offense of late and is 9-for-17 with three home runs and seven RBIs in the last four games. Cleveland is 21-6 in June and can tie the franchise record for wins in a calendar month (22-7 in June 1965) with a victory on Thursday. Blue Jays 3B Josh Donaldson is 14-for-31 during an eight-game hitting streak while Edwin Encarnacion is 8-for-17 with two home runs, eight runs scored and eight RBIs in the last five.
Pitchers: Indians – Carlos Carrasco (3-2, 2.73 ERA) | Blue Jays – R.A. Dickey (5-8, 4.23)
Carlos Carrasco comes in as hot as any Cleveland pitcher right now after a four-hit shutout in Detroit on Sunday. Carrasco has posted quality starts in each of his last three turns and has 21 strikeouts and six walks in that span. Carrasco owns an 8.62 ERA in four games (three starts) against Toronto in his career but has dominated on the road with a 1.95 ERA this season.
R.A. Dickey has surrendered at least one homerun in each of his last four starts including four at the Chicago White Sox on Saturday, but ended up getting the win 10-8. Dickey started at home against Cleveland on September 2nd last season and allowed one run in a complete-game win. Dickey has been awful at home this year posting an 0-5 record and 5.36 ERA.
Cleveland is just too hot to go against right now. Toronto’s pitching has been lit up this week and the Indians smell blood. Look for Cleveland to tie a franchise record with their 13th consecutive victory tonight.
Pick: Indians -115
