Tampa Bay @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 17, 2011 ) Boston 1, Tampa Bay 0

THE STORY: Tampa Bay has its pitching lined up for a crucial three-game series at Fenway Park. The visiting Rays, desperately needing to sweep the Boston Red Sox to get back in either the AL East or the wild-card picture, will start James Shields and Jeff Niemann in a day-night doubleheader on Tuesday. Tampa Bay will turn to ace David Price on Wednesday. Boston starts Jon Lester in the first game of Tuesday’s twin bill and then goes with newly acquired Erik Bedard in the nightcap. The Red Sox have lost three of four.

TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, SUN, NESN

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH James Shields (11-9, 2.80 ERA) vs. Red Sox LH Jon Lester (11-6, 3.32 ERA).

Shields has struggled in his career against Boston with a 6-10 mark and a 4.95 ERA. He is also 1-7 with a 7.71 ERA in eight starts at Fenway. Shields, however, is red hot, winning two straight games and allowing just one run in 16 innings. He said he was disappointed he didn’t get to face the New York Yankees after the game was rained out on Sunday because he feels he is on top of his game.

Lester battled control problems in his last start, tying his season high of five walks in a 5-2 loss against the Twins. He’s lost two straight overall but is 9-4 lifetime against the Rays, including a 3-2 setback in his only start vs. Tampa Bay this season. Oddly enough, Lester is 4-0 at Tampa Bay and just 5-4 against the Rays at home.

ABOUT THE RED SOX (73-46): Boston couldn’t solve Felix Hernandez on Saturday night and was surprisingly silenced by Charlie Furbush on Sunday. The two-game losing streak dropped the Red Sox into a tie with the New York Yankees atop the AL East. The Red Sox also are in the midst of a very difficult part of its schedule. Kevin Youkilis returned to the lineup after missing two games with a bad back and homered on Sunday. Before losing its series to Seattle over the weekend, Boston had won or tied 11 series in a row.

ABOUT THE RAYS (64-55): Tampa Bay was rained out in its series finale against the Yankees on Sunday and enters its three-game set against the Red Sox nine games out of first place and 8½ out in the wild-card standings. Tampa Bay hit five homers against lefty CC Sabathia on Friday and hopes to continue that success against Boston’s two lefthanders on Tuesday. Tampa Bay bumped Wade Davis from his turn in the rotation because of the magnitude of the series.

FINAL PITCH: "We don't want to skip either (Shields or Price), and Niemann's been kind of a hot hand lately, so it just makes sense to go that way.” – Rays manager Joe Maddon said on lining up his pitching rotation after Sunday’s rainout.