Boston @ Oakland preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 19, 2014 ) Boston 2, Oakland 4

The Boston Red Sox spent the previous decade as one of the best hitting teams in the American League, including during their run to the World Series in 2013. The Red Sox will try to discover that lost offense when they visit the Oakland Athletics again on Friday. Boston is second-to-last in the AL in runs scored and has scored two or fewer runs in each of the last six games.

The Athletics have taken over as the top scoring team in the AL and their run differential of plus-134 is 100 runs better than the next closest AL opponent. Oakland picked up its third straight win and fifth in the last six games with Thursday’s 4-2 victory in the series opener. The Red Sox needed only five runs to sweep a three-game series at home from the Minnesota Twins earlier this week but have not won a road series since taking two games at Atlanta on May 26 and 27.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox LH Felix Doubront (2-4, 5.12 ERA) vs. Athletics LH Brad Mills (NA)

Doubront will be activated from the 15-day disabled list to take the rotation spot of Brandon Workman, who had his six-game suspension upheld by Major League Baseball earlier in the week. Doubront put together a string of solid starts before getting knocked around for five runs on five hits – two home runs – in four innings against the Toronto Blue Jays and subsequently complaining of shoulder soreness. The Venezuela native is 1-2 with an 8.56 ERA in three career starts against Oakland.

Mills gets the nod to make his Athletics debut after the team claimed him for one dollar from the Milwaukee organization thanks to a clause in his contract that made him available if he was not on the major-league roster by June 15. Mills owns a 7.56 ERA in 15 major-league appearances – 10 starts – and gets the nod for Oakland after Drew Pomeranz broke his hand punching a chair. Mills went 4-2 with a 1.56 ERA for Triple-A Nashville in the Brewers organization.

WALK-OFFS

1. Red Sox RF Shane Victorino was scratched from a rehab start Thursday due to overall stiffness.

2. Oakland 3B Josh Donaldson has hit safely in five straight after failing to record a hit in the previous seven contests.

3. Boston DH David Ortiz (rest) did not start Thursday but is expected back in the lineup on Friday.

PREDICTION: Athletics 6, Red Sox 4