Miami @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 24, 2015 ) Boston 4, Miami 9

The Boston Red Sox are putting together a strong run up to the All-Star break in an effort to get back into the American League East race before the trade deadline at the end of the month. The Red Sox will try to push their latest streak to three straight wins when they host the Miami Marlins in the opener of a two-game interleague series Tuesday.

The Red Sox are winners of six of their last eight to pull within six games of .500 and scored at least five runs in four straight contests. “Offensively, we've been doing way better the past couple of weeks," David Ortiz told reporters. “I think we've been kind of starting to work into that good offensive team that everybody expected us to be.” The Marlins are not so hot with the bats of late and totaled two runs in dropping the final two of a three-game series at the Chicago Cubs over the weekend. Miami will try to get some support for Dan Haren on Tuesday while the Red Sox counter with Wade Miley.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN Florida (Miami), NESN (Boston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins RH Dan Haren (6-5, 3.45 ERA) vs. Red Sox LH Wade Miley (8-7, 4.53)

Haren is winless in his last five starts but received a total of five runs of support in the first four of that span. The California native had some runs to work with last time out but was reached for four runs (three earned) and 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings and did not factor in the decision against San Francisco. Haren is facing the Red Sox for the first time since 2011 and is 2-7 with a 3.41 ERA in 10 career starts against Boston.

Miley was gifted an eight-run lead before taking the mound at Toronto on Thursday and hung around long enough to grab his seventh win in 10 starts. The Louisiana native struggled with his control and issued seven walks while allowing four runs and seven hits in five innings. Miley, who spent the first four seasons of his career in the National League with the Arizona Diamondbacks, is 2-2 with a 0.99 ERA in four career starts against the Marlins.

WALK-OFFS

1. Red Sox SS Xander Bogaerts, 22, who leads all AL shortstops in wins above replacement and is 9-for-18 over the last four games, is on the Final Vote list for the All-Star Game and is bidding to become the team’s youngest All-Star since Tony Conigliaro (22) in 1967.

2. Miami RF Giancarlo Stanton and 2B Dee Gordon were elected All-Star starters for the NL, though Stanton (broken hand) will be replaced.

3. Boston utilityman Brock Holt, who has started at every position except catcher and pitcher and is batting .295 with a .383 on-base percentage, was named to his first All-Star team.

PREDICTION: Reds Sox 4, Marlins 2