PHILADELPHIA (Interstat) -- Dylan Cease will start for Toronto against Cristopher Sánchez as the Blue Jays open a three-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday night at Citizens Bank Park. Toronto enters at 54-62, while Philadelphia is 62-54. A game-time temperature of 90 degrees is expected, with clouds. Cease is coming off a tough-luck loss Thursday at Chicago, where he allowed two hits and no earned runs over seven innings, struck out 10 and took a 3-2, 11-inning defeat. Andrés Giménez went 3 for 4 for Toronto, and Braydon Fisher pitched a scoreless inning in relief. Over his past four starts, Cease has struck out 36 in 28 innings. Sánchez will try to extend a personal winning streak. He earned the win Thursday against Washington, allowing two earned runs over five innings while striking out six. Bryson Stott went 2 for 3 with an RBI for Philadelphia, and Jonathan Bowlan added a scoreless inning. Sánchez has won each of his last five starts. The Phillies beat the Nationals 7-3 on Thursday. The Blue Jays lost to the Cubs in 11 innings. These teams last met in June, when Philadelphia took two of three games in Toronto. The Phillies won 7-4 and 5-2, and the Blue Jays won 3-2. Friday begins the only trip to Philadelphia for Toronto this season, and the teams will play again Saturday and Sunday before Toronto returns home to face Boston on Monday. Philadelphia then travels to St. Louis on Monday. Toronto has been competitive recently, with a 6-4 mark over its past 10 games. Philadelphia is also 6-4 over its last 10. The Phillies have been the stronger team overall, with an eight-game edge in the standings entering the series. The pitching matchup favors power arms. Cease has allowed one earned run or fewer in three of his past four outings, including a complete-game, one-hit shutout at Boston on July 25 in which he struck out 12. Sánchez has been steadier of late, with quality starts in four of his past five appearances, though he needed only five innings in two of those wins. The schedule gives both teams a chance to make statements. Toronto is trying to climb back toward .500 after a rough first four months. Philadelphia is looking to build separation in the playoff race and protect home field, where it has been strong this season. Interstat’s game simulator is projecting a 6-5 Toronto victory. Interstat’s ELO system, however, gives Philadelphia a 57.70 percent probability to win. Philadelphia has been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus-1.5, and the over/under for the game is 8. First pitch is scheduled for Friday night at Citizens Bank Park, with the matchup expected to showcase two left-handed? No, Cease is right-handed. No matter. The series continues Saturday and Sunday.