The AL East clash between the Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays continues here on Thursday with game three of this set. The teams have split the first two games with the Rays winning on Monday 4-2 and the Jays on Tuesday, 6-3. The Blue Jays are in 4th in the AL East with a 51-51 record and 9.5 games back of the Orioles. The Blue Jays are 46-55 and 14 games back. The Rays will start Taj Bradley here tonight with his 5-4 record and 2.63 ERA and 1.05 WHIP. Bradley has pitched great of late, going 14 innings in his last two starts and allowing six hits and no runs. He's only allowed three runs over his last five starts (31 innings). Chris Bassett will start for the Jays with a 8-8 record and 3.71 ERA. Unlike Bradley, Bassett has been hit fairly hard of late, allowing 12 runs over his last 16 2/3 innings. I like the Rays and Bradley here in the final game of this set. Play Tampa Bay. Blue Jays 6-3 on Wednesday.

Two best teams in the CFL matchup to start week 8 here on Thursday as Montreal hosts Saskatchewan. Both teams will be without their starting QB's but the Roughriders will have the much better backup in this one. The Montreal backup is very mobile but lacks the passing of the Roughriders' backup.  Plus, Montreal missing two key receivers in this one. Should be a great game but I'll take the points with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Week 8 opens play with an exciting matchup as the best of the East plays the best of the Week as Montreal hosts Saskatchewan. These are two of the best in the CFL, but both teams missing their starting QB's. The Roughriders will start former All-Big 10 Michigan QB in Shea Patterson. He has won two of his three starts this year. In addition, the Riders will be without running back A.J. Ouellette. Montreal will go from Fajardo at QB to Caleb Evans. Fajardo was having a excellent season before hurting his hamstring. He's listed as doubtful for tonight. His replacement would be Evens. Evans is a very mobile QB but not very good passing with too many INT's. Both these teams will be missing key offensive players in addition to their starting QB's. Montreal will also be without their second and third best receivers. Both these teams are very good at scoring defense, ranking 1st and 2nd in the CFL in yards allowed per play and scoring defense. I like the UNDER a lot in this matchup tonight. Play UNDER.

The Pittsburgh Pirates and Arizona Diamondbacks begin their 3-game set here on Friday. The Pirates took two of three games from the Cardinals and improved to 52-40, seven games back of the Brewers in the NL Central. The D'back have won two straight and took two of three games in their set with the Royals. They are 53-50 and 8.5-games back of the Dodgers in the NL West. Luis Ortiz will start tonight for the Bucs. Ortiz has a 2.57 ERA and 1.11 WHIP this season. Ortiz has started four games while coming out of the pen ins 22 games with a 5-2 record. Ortiz is coming off an excellent start where he went seven innings and allowed just three hits and no runs for the win over the Phillies. Zac Gallen will counter for the D'backs. Gallen is 7-5 with a 3.64 ERA this year. He has been inconsistent this season. He is coming off a very good start where he allowed three hits and no runs over five innings to the Cubs. However, the two starts prior he went 9-innings and allowed 16 hits and 12 runs. Ortiz is a big dog here tonight and he's been good enough to play the Bucs as a live dog. Play Pittsburgh.

The Seattle Mariners look to get back into 1st place in the AL West as they head to Chicago to play the AL Central last place White Sox. The Mariners were just swept by the Angels and have been slumping, losing eight of their last nine games. They scored a total of three runs in their three losses at home to the Angels. In fact, they have score two runs or fewer in seven of their last eight games. George Kirby will start tonight for the M's with a 7-7 record and 3.20 ERA and 0.98 WHIP. Kirby has allowed three runs of fewer in each of his last five starts. The White Sox bring a 11-game losing streak into tonight's contest. They have been offensively struggling like the Mariners. They have scored two runs or fewer in six of their last seven games. Drew Thorpe will start for the Sox with a 3-1 record and 3.03 ERA and 1.01 WHIP. Thorpe has been very good of late, allowing just five runs over his last five starts (30 1/3 innings). Both starters have been very good and both clubs very bad. I'll take the UNDER in this one.