New York @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 6, 2015 ) Boston 1, NY Yankees 2

The Boston Red Sox pitching staff managed to slow the New York Mets in a series win over the weekend and will set its sights on another hot offense. The New York Yankees began their road trip with 38 runs in a three-game sweep of the Atlanta Braves and head to Boston for the start of a three-game set on Monday.

The Yankees’ outburst managed to keep them exactly where they started the weekend – 1 1/2 games behind the red-hot Toronto Blue Jays in the American League East and heading into a stretch of 16 straight games against division opponents. New York capped its superb offensive weekend with 21 hits in a 20-6 triumph, which was two more runs than the offense totaled while dropping five of seven to end its previous homestand. The Red Sox are still in last place in the AL East but have won or tied each of their last five series after taking two of three from the New York Mets over the weekend. Boston will play a role in the race in the East with 13 games left against the Yankees and the Blue Jays and kick that stretch off with rookie Eduardo Rodriguez going up against Ivan Nova.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ESPN, YES (New York), NESN (Boston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Ivan Nova (5-6, 4.50 ERA) vs. Red Sox LH Eduardo Rodriguez (7-5, 4.39)

Nova is coming off back-to-back losses and was reached for seven runs on as many hits and four walks in four innings against Houston on Tuesday. The 28-year-old has failed to make it through six innings in three of his last four starts. Nova went 6 2/3 frames at Boston on July 11, but surrendered four runs on eight hits in a loss to fall to 3-4 with a 5.05 ERA in 10 career games (ne starts) against the Red Sox.
Rodriguez was let down by his defense a bit against Kansas City on Aug. 23, when he did not factor in the decision while allowing four runs (two earned) and seven hits in six innings. The Venezuela native has yielded two or fewer earned runs in three of his last four turns. Rodriguez is making his third career start against New York and held the Yankees to a total of four runs in 13 1/3 innings while going 1-1.

WALK-OFFS

1. Yankees 2B Stephen Drew (.201) raised his batting average over .200 for the first time this season with a 4-for-4 effort on Sunday.
2. Boston DH David Ortiz homered in two of the last three games and is at 494 for his career, good for 27th place on the all-time list.
3. New York 3B Chase Headley is 6-for-11 with one home run, four doubles, seven RBIs and six runs in the last three games.

PREDICTION: Red Sox 6, Yankees 3