(Sports Network) - The Boston Red Sox resume their long road trip to begin this season when they visit the Toronto Blue Jays in the first of a three-game set from the Rogers Centre.

The Red Sox kicked off their season in Japan by splitting two games with the Oakland Athletics. Then after returning to the states for a couple of exhibition games, Boston resumed its regular season by beating the A's in two games at McAfee Coliseum, including a 5-0 victory on Wednesday.

Jon Lester (1-0) scattered three hits over 6 2/3 shutout frames in the finale, while David Ortiz slammed a two-run homer and Jason Varitek added a solo shot for the Red Sox.

Getting the call for Boston tonight will be 41-year-old righty Tim Wakefield, who returns for his 14th season in Boston after going 17-12 last year with a 4.76 ERA. The knuckleballer, though, endured back problems late in the season and only made one appearance in the playoffs.

Wakefield has faced the Blue Jays 45 times (35 starts) over the course of his career and is 15-10 with a 4.76 ERA against them.

Toronto, meanwhile, heads to Beantown after dropping two of three to the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium to open the year, including a 3-2 setback in Thursday's rubber match. David Eckstein went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored for the Blue Jays, who left the potential tying run stranded at third base in the ninth.

Toronto's Dustin McGowan gave up four hits and two runs over six innings, while reliever Brian Wolfe (0-1) was tagged with the loss.

Toronto will send 26-year-old right-hander Shaun Marcum to the hill tonight. Marcum, 26, started last year in Toronto's bullpen, but injuries thrust him into the rotation and he ended the season 12-6 with a 4.13 ERA.

Marcum has faced the Red Sox eight times (three starts) and is 2-1 with a 2.77 ERA against them.

Toronto split its 18 matchups with the Red Sox last season, but has gone 32-23 against them since the start of the 2005 campaign, including a 15-12 mark at Fenway in that time.