Meanwhile, Toronto pitchers have posted gaudy numbers of late, statlines that may not be rivaled in recent memory; nine consecutive quality starts with fewer than two earned runs allowed in each, and a 0.91 ERA in their last 79.3 innings pitched.
Scheduled to take the mound:
Game 1
Andy Sonnanstine (4-1, 4.42/1.16)
vs.
A.J. Burnett (3-2, 4.82/1.61)
Jays lose, 5-4. W - Sonnanstine (5-1), L - Burnett (3-3), S - Percival (7)
Game 2
Matt Garza (1-0, 6.16/1.58)
vs.
Shaun Marcum (3-2, 2.70/0.97)
Jays win, 6-2. W - Marcum (4-2), L - Garza (1-1).
[b]Game 3
Edwin Jackson (2-3, 4.98/1.49)
vs.
Jesse Litsch (4-1, 4.32/1.35)
Jackson has electric stuff at times, but control and location have been problems since he broke into the league...his current 1.49 WHIP is much better than his career averages, which indicates his wild ways. Jackson alternates between lights-out and early-exit starts, and had an awful outing against the Red Sox in his last appearance, after holding the same club to one run over seven innings. Extremely unpredictable, and the Jays would be well-served to show patience at the plate.
Jesse Litsch has been something of a revelation for the Jays, upping his K/9 from 4.1 to 6.2 between last year and the early going of 2008. Still vulnerable to give up hits and home runs, Litsch has put together two straight good starts to demonstrate that he belongs in the starting rotation...and that he is more than a right-handed Gustavo Chacin.
