New York @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 1, 2015 ) NY Yankees 3, Boston 1

The New York Yankees are getting quite a battle from the last-place Boston Red Sox as they try to keep pace with the Toronto Blue Jays atop the American League East. The Yankees will try to have an easier time of it when they visit the Red Sox for the rubber match of the three-game series on Wednesday.

The Yankees took advantage of a key error to put up a couple of unearned runs in Tuesday’s 3-1 victory and are winners of four of the first five games on a six-game road trip. New York, which sits 1 1/2 games behind the Blue Jays in the division, has outscored opponents 44-16 over those five games and is padding its record in advance of a 10-game homestand that pits it against Tampa Bay, Baltimore and Toronto beginning on Friday. The Red Sox are just looking for small signs of hope for the future and continue to get those from Jackie Bradley Jr., who is 5-for-6 with three doubles and three runs scored in the series. Bradley will take his chances on Wednesday against Yankees right-hander Masahiro Tanaka, who will be opposed by Henry Owens.

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, YES (New York), NESN (Boston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Masahiro Tanaka (10-6, 3.62 ERA) vs. Red Sox LH Henry Owens (2-1, 4.03)

Tanaka picked up a win last time out by holding the Atlanta Braves to three runs and five hits over seven innings while striking out seven. The Japan native gave up a home run in that start and has yielded 10 blasts in his last eight starts. Boston took Tanaka deep once on Aug. 4 but he recovered to allow three runs in six frames to pick up the win, improving to 3-2 with a 4.66 ERA in five career starts against the Red Sox.

Owens yielded a total of two earned runs and nine hits in 13 innings over his last two starts while striking out 10. The 23-year-old rookie only lasted five innings at the New York Mets on Friday while matching a career high with four walks. Owens made his debut at the Yankees on Aug. 4 and suffered a loss while surrendering three runs and five hits in five innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Red Sox LF Hanley Ramirez (sore right shoulder) will play first base when he returns to the lineup.

2. New York 1B Mark Teixeira (bone bruise) is out at least two more weeks.

3. Boston DH David Ortiz needs five homers to reach 500 in his career and is 2-for-11 with a home run in his career against Tanaka.

PREDICTION: Yankees 5, Red Sox 4