Boston @ Seattle preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 29, 2012 ) Boston 5, Seattle 0

Josh Beckett will make his first start since June 11 when the Boston Red Sox visit the Seattle Mariners in the second of a four-game series on Saturday. Beckett, who was on the disabled list with right shoulder inflammation, is coming back at an opportune time. He is 7-2 in 10 career starts against Seattle, including a victory May 15. The Mariners are 11th in the American League in runs scored and have scored only five in their last six games.

The Red Sox will face rookie Erasmo Ramirez, who struck out a career-high 10 in his last start and has been part of a Mariners’ pitching staff which had allowed two or less runs in six straight games prior to Friday’s 5-0 loss.

Boston has won 12 of its last 16 games and is 5 1/2 games behind the New York Yankees in the American League East, and 1½ back of the second-place Baltimore Orioles.

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, NESN (Boston), Root Sports (Seattle)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox RH Josh Beckett (4-7, 4.14 ERA) vs. Mariners RH Erasmo Ramirez (0-2, 4.18)

Beckett pitched at least seven innings in each of his last six starts before landing on the DL, but lost his last three outings and was 2-3 during that span. One of the wins came when he allowed five hits and struck out nine in seven shutout innings in a 5-0 victory over Seattle. The Mariners’ roster is hitting .242 against Beckett. Ichiro Suzuki is 9-for-33 with an uncharacteristic nine strikeouts.

Ramirez is 0-2 in three starts since joining the rotation. He was a tough-luck loser when he allowed one run and three hits in eight innings in a 1-0 loss against Oakland on Monday. Ramirez, who had a 2.45 ERA in seven relief appearances, has never faced Boston.

WALK-OFFS

1. Boston’s Adrian Gonzalez has a 10-game hitting streak and is 14-for-41 during that span.

2. Seattle OF Franklin Gutierrez, who was hit in the face by a pickoff throw Thursday, was placed on the seven-day concussion disabled list Friday.

3. Boston CF Jacoby Ellsbury, who hasn’t played since dislocating his right shoulder on April 13, began a rehab assignment with Class A Fort Myers on Friday and went 1-for-4 with an RBI double as the designated hitter.