Seattle @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 22, 2014 ) Seattle 5, Boston 3

The Seattle Mariners are staying in the postseason race with a team built around its pitching staff but can show off some offensive skill on occasion. The Mariners attempt to clinch the three-game series when they visit the Boston Red Sox on Saturday. Seattle managed two hits over the first eight innings of Friday’s opener and went into the ninth down 3-0 before exploding for five runs thanks to some bloop hits and alert baserunning.

The comeback win put the Mariners one-half game ahead of Detroit for the second American League wild-card spot. The meltdown marked the sixth straight loss for the stumbling Red Sox, who are 2-7 on their homestand and dropped to 44-1 when entering the ninth inning with a lead. The bright spot for Boston has been David Ortiz, who is 10-for-12 with six walks in his last four games and has reached base in nine straight plate appearances.

TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, ROOT (Seattle), NESN (Boston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners RH Chris Young (12-6, 3.07 ERA) vs. Red Sox RH Brandon Workman (1-7, 4.26)

Young picked up the win in three straight starts and is coming off six scoreless innings at Detroit on Sunday. The Princeton product has allowed three or fewer earned runs in 11 of his last 12 outings. Young has not faced Boston since June 23, 2007, when he allowed one hit and struck out 11 in seven scoreless frames.

Workman has suffered the loss in each of his last seven appearances, including Monday against the Los Angeles Angels. The 25-year-old allowed two runs on six hits over seven innings in that outing - his longest stint since before the All-Star break. Workman struck out nine and yielded one run in six frames to beat Seattle on July 30, 2013.

WALK-OFFS

1. Red Sox 1B Mike Napoli (back spasms) has missed three straight games but is expected to return Saturday.

2. Seattle OF Michael Saunders (oblique) had his rehab interrupted by flu-like symptoms and will miss two to three days.

3. Boston RHP Koji Uehara has allowed runs in three straight appearances, including five in the ninth inning on Friday.

PREDICTION: Mariners 3, Red Sox 2