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(Sports Network) - If the Boston Red Sox miss the postseason, their play against the Toronto Blue Jays will be a big reason why. Today the defending world champions play the rubber match of their three-game series with their American League East rivals at the Rogers Centre.

Toronto has been a thorn in the side of the Red Sox all season, winning seven of the 10 overall matchups and sweeping a three-game set from Boston at the Rogers Centre back in April.

Dating back to last season, the Blue Jays are 11-3 in their last 14 meetings with the Red Sox.

That trend continued on Saturday, when Vernon Wells went 4-for-5 with two home runs, three RBI and four runs scored in Toronto's 11-0 thrashing of the Red Sox. Alex Rios and Kevin Mench each had three hits and Marco Scutaro also homered for the Blue Jays, who have won five of seven.

Jesse Litsch (9-7) blanked Boston for six innings, giving up only three hits while fanning four and walking three.

Red Sox starter Jon Lester (12-5) was ripped for seven runs on eight hits in 2 1/3 innings, with two strikeouts and two walks.

Boston will have its hands full again this afternoon, as Toronto's A.J. Burnett targets his career-best 17th win of the season. Burnett, who had never won more than 12 games before this year, won his sixth straight start on Tuesday against the New York Yankees with a terrific effort, allowing just a run and five hits while striking out 13 in eight innings to improve to 16-9.

Burnett defeated the Red Sox the last time he faced them and is a perfect 4-0 lifetime against them with a 1.98 ERA in five starts.

Boston, meanwhile, will pin its hopes on Japanese right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka, who is 15-2 with a 2.77 ERA. Matsuzaka won his fourth consecutive outing Tuesday in Baltimore, as he held the Orioles to a a pair of runs and six hits in five innings.

Matsuzaka, who is 7-0 with a 2.17 ERA on the road this season, has faced the Jays five times and is 3-1 with a 4.02 ERA.