Baltimore @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 11, 2015 ) Boston 5, Baltimore 6

The Boston Red Sox are coming off their best offensive showing of the season over the weekend, but even that performance would have fallen well short of what they needed the last time they saw the Baltimore Orioles. Winners of three of their last four, the Red Sox look to continue digging themselves out of the American League East cellar on Tuesday when they host the opener of a three-game set against the Orioles.

Boston pounded out a season-high eight doubles and smacked three home runs among its 13 extra-base hits in Sunday’s 13-2 romp at Kansas City, finishing with 16 hits and a season-high mark in runs. The Red Sox were on the wrong side of an 18-7 blowout at Baltimore on April 26, matching the Orioles’ best offensive showing in over nine seasons - at least until the reigning division champions blasted Philadelphia 19-3 last Tuesday. Baltimore has won 13 of 17 and is coming off a series win at Toronto, ending the Blue Jays’ nine-game home winning streak in the process. The Orioles let a seven-run, second-inning lead slip away on Sunday before J.J. Hardy keyed a four-run ninth with an RBI single to break open a tie game.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, MASN (Baltimore), NESN (Boston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Ubaldo Jimenez (5-3, 3.27 ERA) vs. Red Sox RH Joe Kelly (2-4, 5.32)

Jimenez remained unbeaten over his last six outings following Wednesday’s 6-4 victory in Philadelphia despite giving up four runs (three earned) while striking out eight over 6 2/3 innings. The 31-year-old Dominican did not walk a batter for only the second time in 13 turns and is sporting a career-best 3.08 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Jimenez, who was ejected from the game when he hit Pablo Sandoval in the shoulder after tossing 3 2/3 hitless innings against Boston on April 17, is 1-3 with an 8.42 ERA in eight starts versus the Red Sox.

Kelly continued to be inefficient in Wednesday’s no-decision in Atlanta, yielding two runs in five-plus frames while throwing 103 pitches. The former St. Louis Cardinal has logged only four quality starts and failed to last more than six innings 10 times in 13 trips to the mound despite going over the 100-pitch mark on eight occasions. Kelly has been relatively sharp in three career turns against the Orioles, however, going 1-1 with a 3.32 ERA while holding Baltimore to a .186 batting average.

WALK-OFFS

1. Baltimore’s Buck Showalter secured his 1,295th managerial victory on Sunday, moving him into a tie with Cap Anson for 32nd place on the all-time list.

2. Red Sox CF Mookie Betts is 20-for-36 with three homers and nine extra-base hits during his nine-game hitting streak.

3. Boston DH David Ortiz clubbed his 476th career home run on Sunday, allowing him to pass Hall of Famer Stan Musial and Willie Stargell for 29th place on the all-time list.

PREDICTION: Orioles 7, Red Sox 3