New York @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 11, 2015 ) NY Yankees 3, Boston 5

The Boston Red Sox are on a roll as the All-Star break arrives and seek their sixth victory in seven games when they host the New York Yankees on Sunday. The teams split the first two contests of the series as Boston improved to 9-3 over its last 12 games.

New York third baseman Alex Rodriguez has homered in both games of the series and has gone deep against the Red Sox 56 times in his career. Yankees center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury went 3-for-4 with a homer on Saturday against his former club and is 6-for-17 in four games since returning from a knee injury. Boston left fielder Hanley Ramirez was 2-for-4 with a homer on Saturday and has gone deep four times over his past eight games. Red Sox outfielder Mookie Betts is 3-for-8 in the series and has two or more hits in six of the past 11 games.

TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, TBS, YES (New York), NESN (Boston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Nathan Eovaldi (8-2, 4.45 ERA) vs. Red Sox LH Wade Miley (8-7, 4.50)

Eovaldi won three consecutive starts before taking a no-decision in his last outing. He gave up two runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings against Oakland and has allowed just six runs over his last four starts. Eovaldi is 1-0 with a 3.75 ERA in two starts this season against Boston and struggles against third baseman Pablo Sandoval (12-for-17 with one homer and 10 RBIs).

Miley has won three of his last four decisions and has allowed 11 runs over his last five starts. He received a no-decision against Miami in his last outing when he struck out a season-high nine in 6 2/3 innings and gave up three runs and seven hits. Miley is 0-1 with a 3.79 ERA in three career starts against the Yankees and the loss came on May 2 when he allowed three runs and seven hits over seven innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Yankees 2B Rob Refsnyder went 0-for-3 in his major-league debut and INF Cole Figueroa was sent to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to open up the 25-man roster spot.

2. Boston placed RHP Clay Buchholz (elbow) on the disabled list and recalled LHP Brian Johnson.

3. New York 3B Chase Headley (groin) was 1-for-4 in his return from a three-game absence.

PREDICTION: Red Sox 5, Yankees 4