Preview: Blue Jays at Rangers

[October 07, 2016]  The Toronto Blue Jays attempt to take a commanding lead in their American League Division Series when they visit the Texas Rangers for Game 2 on Friday afternoon. Less than 48 hours after outlasting Baltimore in 11 innings in the Wild-Card Game, Toronto put the boots to Texas ace Cole Hamels by tagging the left-hander for seven runs over 3 1/3 frames en route to a 10-1 triumph in the series opener.

Jose Bautista homered and drove in four runs, Troy Tulowitzki collected three RBIs and Josh Donaldson went 4-for-4 while plating a pair as the Blue Jays drew first blood in their attempt to knock off the Rangers in the ALDS for the second straight year. Toronto is hoping Bautista can solve Texas' Yu Darvish in Game 2 as the slugger is 1-for-18 lifetime versus the three-time All-Star. Elvis Andrus recorded two of the Rangers' four hits in the opener while Shin-Soo Choo drove in their lone run with a groundout in the ninth inning. Jonathan Lucroy, who recorded 11 homers and 31 RBIs in 47 games for Texas after being acquired from Milwaukee, looks to continue to batter Toronto Game 2 starter J.A. Happ as he is 7-for-19 lifetime with five RBIs against the left-hander.

TV: 1 p.m. ET, TBS, Sportsnet (Toronto)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays LH J.A. Happ (20-4, 3.18 ERA) vs. Rangers RH Yu Darvish (7-5, 3.41)

Happ is coming off the best season of his career, finishing as one of the major league's three 20-game winners while also posting a career best in strikeouts (163). The 33-year-old native of Illinois won his only start against Texas this year, limiting the Rangers to one run and six hits over seven innings on May 5. Happ has posted a 4.82 ERA in eight career postseason games, including one start at Colorado on Oct. 11, 2009 in which he yielded three runs and five hits over three frames while with Philadelphia.

Darvish finished his injury-plagued campaign strong, allowing fewer than two runs in three of his final four outings - including a six-inning victory over Tampa Bay in his final start on Sept. 30 in which he gave up one run and three hits while registering a season-high 12 strikeouts. The 30-year-old from Japan is 3-2 with a 2.45 ERA in seven career turns against the Blue Jays but did not face them this year. Darvish lost the only previous postseason start, yielding three runs - two earned - and five hits over 6 2/3 innings in the 2012 AL Wild-Card Game versus Baltimore.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Rangers are an astounding 1-10 all-time at home in the ALDS.

2. Closer and RHP Roberto Osuna is on Toronto's ALDS roster, but his availability is unknown after he left the Wild-Card Game with a shoulder injury.

3. Andrus is halfway toward his hit total in the ALDS last year, when he went 4-for-22.

PREDICTION: Blue Jays 5, Rangers 3

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