Boston @ Tampa Bay preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 20, 2019 ) Boston 6, Tampa Bay 5

The defending World Series champions are winners of back-to-back games for the second time this season, but the cracks are still visible. The Red Sox will try to put together a complete effort and pull off a three-game sweep when they visit the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday for the finale.

Boston put up five runs in the second inning on Saturday but managed one the rest of the way and watched as the Rays chipped away, eventually tying the score at 5-5 before Andrew Benintendi's sacrifice fly brought in the winning run in the ninth inning. Benintendi, whose grand slam capped the five-run second and accounted for the team's lone hit with a runner in scoring position, watched the staff squander a 4-2 lead on Friday before back-to-back home runs from Mookie Betts and Mitch Moreland put the game away. Tampa Bay closer Jose Alvarado allowed a total of four hits in 9 1/3 scoreless innings over his first 10 appearances but surrendered two hits and a walk before giving up Benintendi's sacrifice fly on Saturday. Boston will turn to its most consistent starter, left-hander David Price, on Sunday while Tampa Bay counters with red-hot righty Tyler Glasnow.

TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), FS Sun (Tampa Bay)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox LH David Price (1-1, 3.79 ERA) vs. Rays RH Tyler Glasnow (4-0, 1.13)

Price worked at least six innings in each of his first three starts and turned in his best outing against Baltimore last Sunday. The former Cy Young Award winner scattered three hits over seven scoreless innings and struck out seven without issuing a walk to earn the win. Price, who was the No. 1 overall pick by Tampa Bay in 2007, went 2-1 with a 2.20 ERA in five starts against the Rays last season.

Glasnow allowed two or fewer runs in each of his first four starts and worked a season-high seven innings against Baltimore on Tuesday, yielding two runs and seven hits to earn the win. The 25-year-old owns 24 strikeouts in 24 innings while issuing three walks and surrendering one homer. Glasnow made one start against Boston last season after coming over in a trade from Pittsburgh and was reached for five runs - four earned - over 6 2/3 innings to suffer the loss.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Red Sox placed RHP Nathan Eovaldi (elbow) on the 10-day injured list Saturday.

2. Tampa Bay RF Avisail Garcia homered in three of his last five games.

3. Boston DH J.D. Martinez has hit safely in 10 straight games and 20 of the first 21.

PREDICTION: Rays 4, Red Sox 2