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TB@TOR: Niemann exits game after taking liner off leg

September was very kind to Tampa Bay last year.

After all, the team pulled off one of the greatest comebacks in baseball history, all culminating in the famous "Game 162," propelling them into the postseason.

The Rays are hoping luck will be on their side again as they make another playoff push, starting the month off with the third game of a four-game set against the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on Saturday.

Toronto won the first two games of the series, holding the Rays to just one total run. Another win by the Jays will give them their second straight series victory.

Jeff Niemann, who won two games for Tampa Bay during its 2011 run, will be making the month's first start for the Rays. It's his first time taking the mound since May 14 when a line drive struck him in the lower leg and caused a fracture.

"My excitement is more than any other negative feelings that enter my head," Niemann said. "I'm just excited to be with the team again and I'm ready to go."

That game also happened to be at Toronto, and the line drive was off the bat from Edwin Encarnacion. He went just one inning in the start before a three-month DL stint.

"It might as well be the first one," Niemann said about having his first start back at the Rogers Centre. "I don't think baseball would have it any other way."

Before the injury, Niemann was 2-3 with a 3.38 ERA. Rays manager Joe Maddon said his plan isn't to use a six-man rotation, but to use Niemann for spot starts and to give the other starters an extra day off.

Toronto counters with Henderson Alvarez, who will be looking to give the Jays their third and clinching win of the series. He'll have to pitch better than he has lately, having lost four of his past five starts and picking up a no-decision in the other.

Alvarez gave up four runs over 3 1/3 innings on five hits -- including two homers -- and a walk with a strikeout in his last start. Alvarez was forced out of that game in the fourth inning when he took a line drive off the leg himself, but was diagnosed with just a shin bruise.

The Jays still finished with the win that day after a ninth-inning rally and extra-innings triumph against the Yankees.

Rays: Brignac happy to be back in the bigs
• Infielder Reid Brignac, who has seen some time in the Majors since 2008, is excited to have the chance once again to wear a Tampa Bay uniform.

Brignac was last up with the Rays on April 21, but will be recalled Saturday when rosters expand.

While his glove is a major plus, Brignac has struggled mightily at the plate since 2011. Last season he hit just .193 in 92 games and he didn't fare much better so far in 2012, going 2-for-17.

"I've just reverted back to a few things I used to do," Brignac said about his struggles at the plate. "Opened my stance a little bit, got my hands back a little bit, just feel good. I've done real well with my plate discipline while I was there. That's what I was there to focus on and get better at. I felt like I improved a lot."

Blue Jays: Johnson closer to ending slump
• Kelly Johnson has hit just .188 since the All-Star break, but he's recently shown signs of improvement following a hamstring injury in late May.

The second baseman has put in extra work with hitting coach Dwayne Murphy, and it started to pay off when he had back-to-back two-hit days on Wednesday and Thursday for the first time since June. It's the work that he's put forth that helps him maintain confidence.

"It's easier to handle and still have fun playing," Johnson said. "If I was to come here and just sit around and take it and didn't put in the work and preparation, I would be quitting on myself and I wouldn't be able to sleep."

Johnson went 0-for-2 at the dish Friday, but drew a walk.

Worth noting
• The Rays acquired outfielder Ben Francisco from the Astros on Friday for a player to be named later and Francisco is expected to be active on Saturday.

• Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie swung a bat for the first time on Friday, but there is still not timetable for a return.

• Of Tampa Bay's 11 losses in August, eight were by one run.

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