Red Sox vs. Blue Jays lineups: All down to the rubber match

It’s down to the rubber match between the Red Sox and Jays for control of the East. With a win, the Sox have a two-game lead and can head to Boston feeling pretty damn good. With a loss, it’s neck-and-neck at the top, with even the Orioles and, yes, Yankees threatening to break down the door.

And it’s all on Clay Buchholz vs. Aaron Sanchez. So that’s a thing.

Sanchez vs. Buchholz is certainly not quite the horror story it would have been a few weeks ago. Buchholz is starting to look like he’s entering one of his boom periods, while the numbers for Sanchez have been heading in the opposite direction for the past month or so. It hasn’t been bad for Sanchez by any stretch of the imagination. Just not quite as good both in terms of results and peripherals.

Still, even if they’re headed in opposite directions, it’s a stretch to say their lines have crossed. The Red Sox definitely feel like the underdog here, particularly when you consider that Sanchez has been facing playoff contenders while Buchholz has taken on the Padres and Rays. The Sox need their lineup to show up today against a good pitcher in the way it’s done so often before, but failed to do yesterday.

First pitch is at 1:07 p.m. ET with broadcasts on NESN and WEEI.