In the key first contest of a 10-day, 10-game road trip, the Jays first lost their star outfielder Vernon Wells to a wrist injury, then lost the game itself, 6-1 to the Cleveland Indians.

Ace pitcher Roy Halladay coughed up all six runs in the seventh inning at Progressive Field, gifting the Indians their third victory in the last four games.

The Jays will try to keep things from getting any uglier on Saturday, as they visit the Indians in the second matchup of a three-game series on Saturday (7:05 p.m. ET).

McGowan to start

Toronto has now lost two in a row and seven straight in Cleveland, where they've been swept in each of the past two seasons.

But based on the strength of their pitching rotation, the Jays shouldn't have a problem breaking the bad spell.

Cleveland (17-18) may have downed the Jays' No. 1 pitcher Friday, but Dustin McGowan could reasonaly be expected perform better than the former Cy Young winner on Saturday.

McGowan (2-2, 2.95 ERA) has been on fire lately, allowing just one run on eight hits in 14 2/3 innings in his last two starts.

Toronto's starting pitching has been relatively strong, with Halladay becoming only the second starter to allow more than three runs in the last 13 games.

But the Blue Jays (17-20) are slumping a little, having lost three of their last four to fall further from .500.

"I'm just trying to pick up where the other guys left off," McGowan said Monday. "I don't want to be the one to mess up this string of starts for us."

Wells out, awaiting MRI

The Jays will be without star centre fielder Vernon Wells, who hurt his left wrist and hamstring when he dove for a dropping fly ball in the sixth inning of Friday's game.

He made the grab, a beautiful one, but paid for it with the pair of injuries.

"I felt a little something as soon as I left my feet," said Wells. "I hit the ground pretty hard. I couldn't breathe. From top to bottom, I didn't feel too good. I've never injured my wrist before so I don't know what to expect."

Wells and his teammates are awaiting the results of an MRI for further details.

The Blue Jays will likely turn to one of two newly acquired outfielders Kevin Mench and Brad Wilkerson, who they signed - coincidentally - just before Friday's game.

Laffey looks good

The Indians will start Aaron Laffey (0-2, 2.84), who will make his third start replacing injured Jake Westbrook.

Left-handed Laffey, whom the Jays have never faced before, made overtures to a no-hitter during his first start against the New York Yankees on April 28, going five innings before giving up a hit.

He also went four innings before allowing a hit during a 2-0 loss to the Kansas City Royals on Sunday. It was a tough defeat, as his team went scoreless while he permitted just one unearned run on four hits in seven innings.

"Aaron was outstanding," Indians manager Eric Wedge told his team's official Web site. "I was very impressed with the way he pitched today... That's pretty real stuff."

After that dismal showing against Kansas, the Cleveland offence has since shown a little more life, with a five-run performance against the Yankees and Friday's six-run spanking of the Jays.

Travis Hafner (.220) and Casey Blake (.221) each had two hits on the outing, helping with the team's explosive seventh inning.

"It was nice to put together a big inning against a very good pitcher," Wedge said.

With files from the Associated Press

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