(My Sportsbook) - Dustin McGowan tries to win his third straight start this evening when the Toronto Blue Jays open a three-game series with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays at Tropicana Field.

McGowan was brilliant against the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday, as he scattered four hits over 7 1/3 scoreless innings to run his record to 7-5 on the year, while lowering his earned run average to 4.45.

The 25-year-old righty has yet to record a decision in two outings (one start) against the Rays, but has pitched to a 4.70 ERA in those contests.

Toronto enters this series on a winning note after Shaun Marcum pitched eight solid innings on Sunday to help the Blue Jays salvage the finale of their three-game series with the Chicago White Sox, winning 4-1 at U.S. Cellular Field.

Marcum and his counterpart, Javier Vazquez, allowed a combined three hits through seven innings, but the Blue Jays plated four in the eighth to go on top, and Jermaine Dye's solo homer in the home half of the inning was not enough for the White Sox.

Marcum (7-4) allowed only two hits and one run in eight innings, fanning eight with no walks. John McDonald went 2-for-3 and scored for the Blue Jays, who have won six of eight. Jeremy Accardo pitched a perfect ninth for his 17th save.

Tampa Bay, meanwhile, snapped an eight-game losing streak on Sunday, as Dioner Navarro hit a solo home run to break a scoreless game during a five-run seventh inning in the Devil Rays' 5-2 win over the Boston Red Sox.

B.J. Upton hit a three-run home run and Carlos Pena added two hits with a solo shot for the Devil Rays, who won for only the second time in their last 11 tries.

Scott Kazmir, who started for the Devil Rays, was brilliant in his six innings of work. The southpaw allowed only six hits, while striking out eight and walking one. Gary Glover (4-3) got the win, though, despite surrendering two runs and two hits in 2 1/3 innings.

Getting the call for the Devil Rays this evening will be 24-year-old right- hander Andy Sonnanstine, who is a dismal 1-6 with a 5.57 ERA. Sonnanstine was tagged with the loss in his last start on Wednesday against Baltimore, as he gave up five runs and seven hits in six frames.

Sonnanstine, who did not receive a decision in his only other start against the Jays, has not won since June 10 and Tampa has dropped each of his last eight starts.

On the injury front Tampa could again be without All-Star left fielder Carl Crawford, who has missed the last two games with a sprained right wrist. He is set to undergo an MRI on Monday.

Toronto has won five of its nine matchups with the Devil Rays this season and is 28-18 in the series since the start of the 2005 campaign. The Jays have also won in 14 of their last 21 visits to St. Petersburg.