Boston @ Seattle preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 24, 2014 ) Seattle 8, Boston 6

The Boston Red Sox have put a dismal stretch behind them and look to continue a quick turnaround when they begin a four-game series at Seattle on Thursday. After dropping seven of eight games in a stretch that saw them replace their pitching coach and make multiple roster changes, the Red Sox have won three of their last four.

A series win in Oakland included an extra-inning victory and a 2-0 triumph against Athletics ace Sonny Gray on Wednesday. The mini-surge has pulled Boston within two games of .500 and it has come while slugger David Ortiz continues to struggle. He was 0-for-4 on Wednesday, is 3-for-23 during a six-game swoon and has not homered since April 24, a span of 15 games. Ortiz is a career .296 hitter at Seattle, which had a four-game winning streak snapped with a 4-2 loss to San Diego at home Wednesday.

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), ROOT (Seattle)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox RH Joe Kelly (1-2, 6.35 ERA) vs. Mariners LH Roenis Elias (0-1, 3.86)

Kelly is 0-2 with a 7.67 ERA over his last five starts while finishing six innings in just one of those outings. Control was the primary issue in a 7-1 loss at Toronto on Saturday, when he walked seven and gave up six runs in 5 2/3 innings. The 26-year-old, who has 18 strikeouts with 13 hits allowed in 17 2/3 innings on the road, tossed five scoreless innings opposite Seattle ace Felix Hernandez in a meeting at Fenway Park last season.

Elias is making the most of his opportunity filling in for the injured Hisashi Iwakuma, recording a pair of quality starts this month while recording 13 strikeouts in 13 innings. He let up three runs in seven frames of a no-decision at the Los Angeles Angels in his previous start May 6. Elias, who is 4-7 with 3.99 ERA in 17 career starts at home, has never faced Boston.

WALK-OFFS

1. Red Sox IF/OF Brock Holt is 2-for-21 with seven strikeouts this month after hitting .386 in April.

2. Of the Mariners' 33 games, 29 have been decided by three runs or fewer.

3. The Red Sox are 8-3 in series openers.

PREDICTION: Mariners 5, Red Sox 4