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(Sports Network) - The Boston Red Sox try for their first win in seven chances in Toronto this evening when they open a three-game series with the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.

Toronto has been a thorn in the side of the defending world champions all season, winning six of the eight overall matchups and all three north of the border. Dating back to last season the Blue Jays are 10-2 in their last 12 meetings with the Red Sox, who will be trying for their first win in Canada since May 10 of last year.

Boston, though, rebounded nicely after getting swept by the Blue Jays in a rain-shortened two-game series at Fenway Park by taking two of three from the Baltimore Orioles. However, the Sox were denied a sweep of their own in that series, falling 11-6 in the finale on Wednesday at Camden Yards.

Jason Bay homered, while Jacoby Ellsbury and Kevin Youkilis each picked up a pair of hits and a run driven in for the Red Sox, who have dropped three of five overall.

The Red Sox, though, have still won nine of their last 13 on the road.

Clay Buchholz (2-9) suffered the loss, his seventh setback in as many decisions, charged with three hits and five runs in just 2 1/3 frames. Following the game, Buchholz was optioned to Double-A Portland.

Boston trails the Tampa Bay Rays by 4 1/2 games in the AL East and is tied with the Minnesota Twins for the lead in the wild card.

Hoping to get the Red Sox back in the win column this evening will be newly- acquired Paul Byrd, who had a four-start winning streak stopped by the Blue Jays in his Boston debut on Saturday. Byrd surrendered four runs and 10 hits over 7 1/3 innings of that one, as he fell to 7-11 on the year, while raising his ERA to 4.55.

Byrd is 4-4 lifetime against the Blue Jays with a 3.12 ERA in eight starts.

Toronto, on the other hand, hopes that Shaun Marcum can duplicate a dominating performance from Roy Halladay on Thursday. Halladay (15-9) yielded just three runs on five hits while fanning nine and walking two batters over seven frames of the Blue Jays' 14-3 win over the New York Yankees.

Marco Scutaro matched a career-high with four hits and four runs driven in and also scored three times, while Alex Rios and Matt Stairs both had three RBI apiece for Toronto, which won for the seventh time in its last nine chances.

Marcum, meanwhile, has won his last three starts and defeated Boston his last time out to improve to 8-5, lowering his ERA to 3.36. Marcum gave up just a run and five hits in five innings of that one.

The 26-year-old right-hander is 4-1 lifetime against the Red Sox with a 2.84 ERA in 10 games, five of which have been starts. All four of his wins against them have come in starts.