Boston @ Seattle preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 4, 2012 ) Boston 4, Seattle 3

The Boston Red Sox showed that they might have a little fight left after all. The Red Sox rallied from three runs down and snapped a seven-game losing streak on Tuesday, ensuring that they will leave the west coast with at least one victory. The Seattle Mariners still have the chance to ensure Boston will take the long flight back without a winning series. The Mariners will try to take the rubber game on Wednesday.

The Red Sox were outscored 56-18 in dropping the first seven games of their west coast trip, putting a nail in the coffin of the 2012 season and ensuring that the last month would be a time of player evaluation. One of those young players under the microscope is Ryan Lavarnway, who hit the tie-breaking solo homer in Tuesday’s 4-3 triumph. Seattle has a few goals left this season as they remain five games shy of .500. The Mariners have endured three straight losing seasons.

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), ROOT (Seattle)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox RH Aaron Cook (3-8, 5.35 ERA) vs. Mariners RH Kevin Millwood (4-12, 4.38)

Cook has been getting hammered recently and is coming off one of his worst outings since joining the Red Sox. The right-hander was chased after just 2 2/3 innings and charged with six runs on seven hits in a loss at Oakland last Friday. Cook, a sinkerball specialist, had trouble keeping the ball down against the Athletics and recorded only two of his outs on the ground. He had his best start of the season at Seattle on June 29, yielding two hits and not walking a batter in his first shutout since 2009.

Millwood has not won since June 28 and struggled through five innings against the Angels last week, issuing four walks and getting knocked around for five runs (four earned) and nine hits in a loss. The veteran righty missed Boston its last time through but has faced the Red Sox 17 times in his lengthy career, piling up a 6-5 record with a 4.05 ERA. Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia are a combined 7-for-32 (.219) with one RBI against Millwood.

WALK-OFFS

1. Pedroia extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a 2-for-4 effort on Tuesday. He is batting .393 (24-for-61) over that span.

2. Mariners CF Franklin Gutierrez hit a solo home run and made a diving catch on Tuesday before being lifted in the fourth inning with tightness in his groin. He has played just 21 games this season.

3. Boston rookie SS Jose Iglesias recorded his first career extra-base hit with a double and has displayed slick defense since being recalled.