Boston @ Oakland preview

Last Meeting ( May 4, 2014 ) Oakland 3, Boston 2

The Boston Red Sox are taking an offensive slump out to face the strongest pitching staff in the American League. The Red Sox will attempt to get the bats moving when they open a 10-game road trip at the AL-best Oakland Athletics on Thursday. Boston’s anemic offense showed some signs of life with back-to-back home runs Wednesday but has gone five straight games scoring two or fewer runs.

The Red Sox had one hit through nine innings Wednesday before David Ortiz and Mike Napoli left the yard to walk-off with the victory in the 10th inning, a power display the team hopes will spark them going into the road trip. The Athletics are winners of four of their last five and have little trouble scoring with an average of 7.4 runs in their last five. Oakland third baseman Josh Donaldson is pulling out of a long funk and went 3-for-6 with an RBI and two runs scored in the last two contests.

TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), CSN California (Oakland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox RH Jake Peavy (1-4, 4.53 ERA) vs. Athletics LH Scott Kazmir (8-2, 2.05)

Peavy snapped a string of six straight starts allowing at least three earned runs by battling through six one-run innings against the Cleveland Indians on Saturday. The Alabama native scattered seven hits and a pair of walks in that start but kept the ball in the park after surrendering three home runs in his previous outing. Peavy has made only two career starts against Oakland, going 1-0 with three runs allowed in 15 total innings.

Kazmir did not allow an earned run in either of his last two starts and is 3-0 with a 0.95 ERA in his last four turns. The 30-year-old notched only two strikeouts against New York on Saturday after piling up 25 in the three previous outings. Kazmir made one start against Boston during his resurrection with Cleveland last season and did not factor in the decision while allowing two runs in five frames.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Red Sox have yet to announce a starter for Friday’s game after scheduled starter Brandon Workman had his six-game suspension upheld and began serving it Wednesday.

2. Oakland RF Josh Reddick (hyperextended right knee) began a rehab stint at Triple-A Sacramento on Wednesday.

3. Boston closer Koji Uehara had a string of 20 straight scoreless appearances come to an end Wednesday.

PREDICTION: Athletics 5, Red Sox 2