Bautista eyes Jays' HR mark in Cleveland

Jose Bautista is on the cusp of breaking another long-standing home run record for the Toronto Blue Jays.

Needing two homers to set a new club mark for the most before the All-Star break, Bautista and the Blue Jays open a four-game set Thursday night against the Cleveland Indians, who have had the upper hand at home against Toronto in recent years.

Bautista, who led the majors with a career-best 54 home runs last season, already has 28 in 80 games in 2011. He's belted four in six July contests, a surge that's left him one shy of tying George Bell's first-half team record of 29 set in 1987.

Bell finished with 47 homers that year, a record eclipsed by Bautista in 2010.

Bautista, who also set a record with more than 7.45 million fan votes for next week's All-Star game in Phoenix, is 9 for 37 with two homers at Progressive Field.

Since 2004, the Blue Jays are just 7-19 at Cleveland, totaling seven runs while getting swept in a four-game set from June 28-July 1, 2010.

Over their last 26 home games in the matchup, the Indians have outscored Toronto 127-89 despite being outhit, 207-206.

Bautista and the Blue Jays will face Zach McAllister, who makes his major league debut for the Indians.

A third-round pick of the Yankees in 2006, McAllister was acquired by Cleveland last August in a trade that sent Austin Kearns to New York. Kearns eventually re-signed with the Indians.

The right-hander was 8-3 with a 2.97 ERA in 15 starts this season for Columbus, which owns the best record in the International League.

Carlos Villanueva (5-1, 3.24 ERA) starts the opener for Toronto.

He didn't receive a decision Saturday in the Blue Jays' 5-3 loss to ex-Toronto star Roy Halladay and Philadelphia. Villanueva retired 11 straight at one point, but gave up three runs, five hits and a season-high four walks in 6 2-3 innings.

The right-hander allowed two runs in two innings of relief during his only appearance against Cleveland in June 2009 while with Milwaukee.

In a series pitting division leaders, the Indians (46-39) took two of three from the Yankees this week, winning 5-3 on Wednesday. Rookie Lonnie Chisenhall hit his first career homer and Justin Masterson picked up just his second win since April 26 and seventh of the year.

Asdrubal Cabrera made a pair of key defensive plays despite spraining his right ankle Tuesday.

"He proved his ankle's fine," manager Manny Acta said. "This guy's been darn good for us."

Cleveland has the largest lead of any first-place club in the AL at 1 1/2 games over Detroit, which kicks off a four-game set with cellar-dwelling Kansas City on Thursday.

Toronto (42-46) lost for the fifth time in seven games Wednesday, falling 6-4 at Boston, but Bautista had two singles and two RBIs and Yunel Escobar tied a career high with four hits in his first game after missing four with a hand injury.