The Toronto Blue Jays and Cincinnati Reds meet up for a three-game series this weekend at the Great American Ball Park

Toronto Blue Jays at Cincinnati Reds

Toronto has dropped five of its last seven games and been outscored 48-21 over that span by opponents.  The Blue Jays dropped a 4-3 home contest to the Orioles Thursday afternoon, which happened to be their first loss in 17 meetings in the series at the Rogers Centre.  The club now begins another run at Interleague play and will likely be using Adam Lind at first base while visiting a National League park.  Since returning from the disabled list on June 4, Lind has hit five home runs and batted .400.  These two teams have not met since a three-game Interleague set in 2009, when the Blue Jays took two out of three, outscoring the Reds, 20-14, in the series.  Toronto is 24-28 versus right-handed starters this year.

Blue Jays starting pitcher Jo-Jo Reyes is 2-5 with a 4.30 ERA in 13 starts this season and will look to bounce back from a loss that snapped a two-game winning streak last time out.  He allowed four runs and eight hits over 6 1/3 innings in that particular outing, dropping a 5-1 decision at home to the Red Sox.  The left-hander has registered a 1-3 record and 4.28 ERA in seven road outings, as opponents are hitting .302 against him.  In three career outings versus the Reds, Reyes has produced an even 1-1 mark and 6.28 ERA.

Cincinnati enjoyed a day off Thursday after completing a seven-game road trip with a 5-2 record.  “A 5-2 trip, I think we’d take that 10 out of 10 times before we left,” said Reds third baseman Scott Rolen.  The Reds offense leads the National League with 4.9 runs scored per game and Rolen hopes to continue driving in runs, after collecting a pair of RBI doubles in the team’s 7-2 victory over the Dodgers Wednesday.  The starting staff has also been doing its job of late, posting a 7-1 record and 1.90 ERA in its last 10 games.  Cincinnati is 20-15 at Great American Ball Park this season and has won seven of its first 12 home series.

Reds starting pitcher Mike Leake is 6-2 with a 4.06 ERA in 13 games (10 starts) this season and is coming off a brilliant performance last time out.  In that particular outing, he tossed eight shutout innings and allowed just four hits in a 10-2 road win over San Francisco.  Cincinnati has actually won his last four starts, outscoring opponents 27-8 over that span.  Leake will be making his eighth appearance (seventh start) at home, producing a 4-1 mark and 4.58 ERA.  He will be facing Toronto for the first time in his career.

Bettors will be interested in backing the Reds due to their 4-0 record in home games following a road trip of seven or more days, while the Blue Jays are 3-7 in their last 10 Interleague games