Drew Rasmussen, Rays aim to slow streaking Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays will look to extend a pair of winning streaks when they open a three-game series against the host Tampa Bay Rays on Friday.

The Blue Jays recorded their third win in a row on Thursday afternoon with a 7-6, 11-inning victory over the slumping San Diego Padres.

Daulton Varsho followed up his grand slam in Toronto's 14-0 romp on Wednesday by coming through in the 11th inning of the series finale. He ripped a game-tying triple and scored on Nathan Lukes' single to push the Blue Jays back above .500 for the season.

"We just kept playing our game," Varsho told Sportsnet. "We've been hitting balls hard, and obviously sometimes it goes right at people. We just have to stick with it.

"We have good approaches all the way up and down the lineup. Pitching's been great (and the) defense has been awesome. Just keep doing that and we're going to win a lot of ballgames."

Anthony Santander's availability for the series opener is in question, however. The Toronto designated hitter left the Wednesday game because of inflammation in his left hip, and he sat out on Thursday.

The Blue Jays carry a four-game road winning streak into Friday, when they start a six-game trek that takes them to Tampa Bay and Texas.

Toronto will turn to left-hander Eric Lauer (1-0, 2.25 ERA) to start against Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen (2-4, 2.93).

Lauer allowed one run on three hits in three innings during a no-decision against the Detroit Tigers on Saturday.

Lauer, 29, is 0-1 with an 8.76 ERA in three career appearances vs. Tampa Bay.

The Rays, who won two of three games in Toronto from May 13-15, enter the weekend series on the heels of two straight victories.

Josh Lowe belted one of Tampa Bay's four homers in an 8-4 triumph over the visiting Houston Astros on Wednesday. He was out for six weeks due to a strained right oblique before returning to face Toronto on May 15. In that game, he went 3-for-5 with a solo homer and three runs as Tampa Bay won 8-3.

"When we win games, it's going to come with guys getting big hits with guys on base. It is nice to have it go in our direction (with home runs)," Rays manager Kevin Cash said Wednesday. "It's a different lineup with Josh back, and he certainly helps."

Brandon Lowe homered twice and had four RBIs in the May 15 game against the Blue Jays. He also went deep on Wednesday -- back-to-back with Josh Lowe in the fifth inning -- to extend his hitting streak to five games.

"It's pretty cool," Josh Lowe said. "I think we were saying that's the first time we've gone back-to-back before, so Lowe and Lowe getting the job done there."

Rasmussen snapped a seven-game winless streak with a dominating performance in the Rays' 4-0 victory over the Miami Marlins on Saturday. He yielded four hits and no walks while striking out five over six scoreless innings for his first win since March 31.

"He had everything going, really big fastball, four-seamer, two-seamer," Cash said of Rasmussen. "He commanded the ball really, really well. It was a great start by him."

Rasmussen, 29, traditionally hasn't been as successful against the Blue Jays. He is 1-4 with a 3.00 ERA in 10 career appearances (eight starts) vs. Toronto.