Boston @ Tampa Bay preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 26, 2015 ) Boston 4, Tampa Bay 3

The Tampa Bay Rays are fighting off three teams in the American League East and can’t afford to drop a series to the team in last place. The Rays will try to avoid such an occurrence when they host the Boston Red Sox in the second of a three-game series on Saturday.

The Baltimore Orioles, Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees are all within one game of Tampa Bay in the East while the Red Sox sit eight games back in the division and nine games under .500. Those records did not matter much on Friday, when Brock Holt drove in the go-ahead run in the 10th inning to give Boston a 4-3 win in the series opener. The victory pushed the Red Sox to 12-23 in the East and gave them a chance to win a series against a division rival for the first time since taking two of three from Toronto on April 27-29. Boston will turn to left-hander Wade Miley on Saturday while the Rays counter with rookie Matt Andriese.

TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), Sun Sports (Tampa Bay)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox LH Wade Miley (7-6, 4.50 ERA) vs. Rays RH Matt Andriese (2-2, 3.79)

Miley put together back-to-back wins in his last two starts and is 6-2 in his last eight outings. The Louisiana native was at his best against the Royals on Sunday, when he scattered five hits and three walks over six scoreless innings. Miley worked 5 2/3 scoreless frames at Tampa Bay on April 21 and is 3-0 with a 0.47 ERA in three career starts against the Rays.

Andriese is filling in for Jake Odorizzi in the rotation and was reached for four runs on five hits in 5 1/3 innings to suffer a loss to the Blue Jays on Monday. The 25-year-old, who has yet to make it through the sixth inning, surrendered three home runs to Toronto. Andriese is making his first career appearance against Boston and is 1-2 with a 4.33 ERA in seven home games – four starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. Red Sox LF Hanley Ramirez (left wrist) has missed the last two games and is day-to-day.

2. Tampa Bay 2B Logan Forsythe recorded multiple hits six times in the last 10 games.

3. Boston CF Mookie Betts has hit safely in 13 straight games.

PREDICTION: Rays 4, Red Sox 1