(My Sportsbook) - The Boston Red Sox try and move one step closer to clinching their first AL East crown since 1997 this evening when they open a three-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.

Boston dropped two of three over the weekend to the New York Yankees, including a 4-3 setback in Sunday's rubber match at Fenway Park. Mike Lowell had three of the five Red Sox hits, as Boston saw its lead in the division slip to 4 1/2 games over the Yankees.

After Derek Jeter's three-run homer in the eighth broke a 1-1 tie, Boston closed the gap on Lowell's solo homer in the eighth and managed to pull within one in the ninth, but Mariano Rivera got David Ortiz to pop out with the bases loaded to keep Boston's magic number for clinching the division at nine.

Curt Schilling (8-8) was charged with six hits and four runs through 7 2/3 innings to lose his third straight decision.

Heading to the hill for the Red Sox tonight will be veteran righty Tim Wakefield, who is coming off a horrific outing against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in his last start on Tuesday. Wakefield, who is 16-10 with a 4.68 ERA, was pounded for seven runs and 10 hits in just three innings.

Wakefield beat the Jays the last time he faced them and is 15-9 lifetime against them with a save and a 3.80 ERA in 44 games, 34 of which have been starts.

Toronto will counter with young right-hander Dustin McGowan, who is 10-9 with a 4.01 ERA. McGowan was charged with the loss on Wednesday against the Yankees, allowing four runs and three hits in five innings.

McGowan is 1-1 his brief career against the Red Sox with a 6.75 ERA in three games, one start.

Toronto dropped two out of three over the weekend to the Baltimore Orioles and has all but fallen out of the AL wild card picture. The Blue Jays enter this series 11 games back of the Yankees with 13 games to go.

Boston has won nine of its 15 matchups with the Jays this season, including five of the six meetings in Toronto.