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KC@TB: Hellickson tosses seven frames of one-run ball

Tampa Bay's Jeremy Hellickson had a root canal on Monday. He's hoping Friday's start won't be as painful.

Hellickson takes the mound for the Rays as they take on the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre, trying to even the series after dropping the opener, 2-0.

He threw nearly the same number of pitches in his last two starts, but one lasted five innings and the other seven. He'll be looking to match the lengthier outing and avoid the long at-bats that plagued him in the shorter one.

In that short start, against the Athletics on Aug. 25, he gave up four runs on six hits, including two home runs, with no walks and five strikeouts.

"They were fouling off a lot of pitches there early," Hellickson said. "I just couldn't make a pitch when I needed to, and they were fighting off a lot of pitches."

Brandon Morrow will oppose Hellickson, vying to pick up the Blue Jays' fourth win in their last five games. This is his second start since returning from a two-month-long absence caused by an oblique injury.

Morrow lasted just 4 2/3 innings in his first game off the disabled list in a loss to the Orioles. He gave up four runs -- two earned -- on six hits and a walk with seven strikeouts.

He fared well before being injured, and is 7-5 on the season, with a 3.06 ERA.

Rays: Price a little late to Toronto
Pitcher David Price forgot his passport, which he needed to to fly from Texas to Toronto, but the situation worked to his advantage.

While the rest of the team arrived in Toronto at 3 a.m. on a chartered flight, the grounded Price had a friend retrieve the passport and bring it to Dallas. He left on a noon flight, allowing him to sleep in.

"I probably had a better 16 hours than everybody else," Price said, "staying in there, not having to get in at 3 in the morning. I mean, I went to sleep at 11:30. I was so mad that I woke up at 9."

The lefty probably could have taken his time if he needed to; he'll take the mound in Sunday's series finale.

Blue Jays: Return on horizon for Frasor, Arencibia
Reliever Jason Frasor and catcher J.P. Arencibia could each be returning in early September.

Frasor could join Toronto as soon as Saturday if his rehab game with Class A Dunedin goes according to plan. The righty last pitched on July 16 and has a 4.00 ERA this season.

Arencibia, meanwhile, hopes to be ready by Sept. 10 but could return even earlier. He fractured his hand in late July and could make a rehab stint with either Dunedin or Class A Advanced Lansing, both of which made the playoffs.

• Outfielder Jose Bautista is scheduled to have season-ending surgery on his wrist in Cleveland on Tuesday.

Worth noting
• Tampa Bay's Luke Scott played first base for the first time this season on Thursday. He went 0-for-3 at the plate.

• Toronto's top prospect, catcher Travis d'Arnaud, is progressing well in his recovery from a PCL tear and has performed all baseball activities. There is a possibility he could go to the Arizona Fall League.

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