Baltimore @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 20, 2011 ) Baltimore 7, Boston 5

THE STORY: Curt Schilling told a Boston radio station on Tuesday that the Red Sox wouldn’t make the playoffs this season. Boston then went out and made its former ace look good blowing a late lead and losing to the Baltimore Orioles 7-5. The Red Sox, who have lost 15 of their last 19 games, host the Orioles in the finale of a four-game set Wednesday. Josh Beckett takes the mound for the Red Sox against Tommy Hunter as Boston clings to its two-game lead in the American League wild card standings.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, MASN (Baltimore), NESN (Boston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Tommy Hunter (4-4, 4.81 ERA) vs. Red Sox RH Josh Beckett (13-5, 2.50).

Hunter was acquired from the Rangers for reliever Koji Uehara. In his 10 outings with Baltimore, Hunter is 3-3 with a 5.91 ERA. He was 1-1 in limited action while with the Rangers this season. Hunter is 2-1 lifetime against the Red Sox, but has a whopping 8.31 ERA and has given up seven home runs to Boston in just 17 1/3 innings. Beckett’s return to the rotation after injuring his ankle went well. He allowed two earned runs in six innings as Boston edged Tampa Bay for its lone win in the four-game set last week 4-3. Beckett has been outstanding all season and is riding a four-game winning streak. If Boston makes the playoffs, he will likely start the first game. Beckett is 7-3 lifetime against Baltimore with a 3.76 ERA.

ABOUT THE ORIOLES (64-90): Baltimore has won two of the first three games of the series. Both Adam Jones and Mark Reynolds returned to the lineup Tuesday after missing the past couple games. The pair combined to go 5-for-8 with two RBIs. Jim Johnson has looked super in relief. Johnson got the save Tuesday and has eight saves, including six straight. Johnson blew four saves early and leads AL relievers with 87 innings pitched. Baltimore’s bullpen shut out Boston for the last five innings Tuesday.

ABOUT THE RED SOX (88-67): Jacoby Ellsbury headed into Tuesday night’s game leading the league in hits, doubles and extra base hits this month. He has hit safely in 32 straight games against the Orioles. Adrian Gonzalez has 206 hits. The only other Red Sox first baseman with more was Mo Vaughn, who had 207 in 1996. Jonathan Papelbon blew the save Tuesday. It was his second blown save of the year and broke a string of 25 straight successful opportunities. Daniel Bard continued to struggle. Asked to get two innings on Tuesday, Bard allowed two hits in 1 1/3 innings and took the loss again. He is 2-9 on the season.

FINAL PITCH: Carl Crawford returned to the lineup hitting sixth after sitting out Monday’s doubleheader with a stiff neck. He was 1-for-4. "He's good enough to pay. He's sore, but he can move. Yesterday, he couldn't move," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said.