CLEVELAND -- Chris Perez is feeling more comfortable on the mound, and it's shown.

Perez, who was acquired in the Mark DeRosa trade, had a shaky start to his Indians career. But as he and the Tribe prepare to take on the Blue Jays on Tuesday at Rogers Centre in the first of a three-game series, he said he's feeling better with every appearance.

Perez said that when he made his first appearance for the Indians at the end of June, he was trying too hard to impress.

"I might have been trying to do too much," Perez said. "I might have been trying to show people, 'This is what you got.'"

But it wasn't a very good first impression.

He gave up four earned runs in his first appearance in just two-thirds of an inning. He blew a save just more than a week later against the White Sox.

Earlier this week, Perez said that he is planning to have offseason surgery to remove an extra bone in his left foot. He has been getting cortisone shots for it all year.

Since his first couple of rocky outings, he has settled down. Perez hasn't given up a run in his past three appearances, striking out three in three innings without allowing a baserunner.

"I'm pitching the way I should be pitching," Perez said. "I've been getting ahead of hitters and making them more defensive, which helps."

He has impressed his manager, too.

"I think he's getting more comfortable," manager Eric Wedge said. "I've been pleased with the way he's thrown these last three games."

Pitching matchup
CLE: LHP Cliff Lee (5-9, 3.31 ERA)
After five straight tough-luck losses, Lee finally won a game on Thursday. Lee had four quality starts in his past five outings, but poor run production kept him from winning any of those games. But when the Indians needed him the most, Lee shined, pitching his second complete game of the season, giving up one run and nine hits and striking out six without walking a batter against the Mariners. Lee had great command and relied on great defense to get his fifth win of the season. He is 1-4 with a 4.37 ERA in eight starts in his career against Toronto.

TOR: LHP Brett Cecil (3-1, 5.40 ERA)
Cecil rebounded from a poor showing in New York with a stellar start in Baltimore on July 10, pitching six shutout innings for the win. The rookie gave up four hits and issued two walks, striking out six -- one shy of his season high.

Tidbits
Ben Francisco's home run in the second inning of Sunday's game against the Mariners snapped an 0-for-12 streak and was the first home run the Indians have hit in the second half of the season. ... Going into Sunday's game with the Mariners, third baseman Andy Marte had hit a home run in three straight games for Triple-A Columbus. He was hitting .400 with five homers and 15 RBIs in July. ... The run reliever Rafael Betancourt gave up in the eighth inning on Sunday was his first in four appearances since coming off of the disabled list on July 9. ... The Indians released right-hander Masa Kobayashi over the weekend. The reliever was 2-2 record with a 4.66 ERA and one save at Triple-A Columbus, where he had been since his May 18 demotion.

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Up next
• Wednesday: Indians (Carl Pavano, 8-7, 5.13) at Blue Jays (Ricky Romero, 7-4, 3.25), 7:07 p.m. ET
• Thursday: Indians (TBD) at Blue Jays (Marc Rzepczynski, 1-1, 2.50), 12:37 p.m. ET
• Friday: Indians (TBD) at Mariners (TBD), 10:10 p.m. ET