Baltimore @ Boston preview
Fenway Park
Last Meeting ( Sep 2, 2010 ) Boston 6, Baltimore 4
Home hasn't been so sweet lately for the Boston Red Sox in their final pitch for a playoff berth.
The Red Sox, who have lost seven of their last 10 games at home, host the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park on Monday night. Boston trails the Tampa Bay Rays by 6 1/2 games in the race for the wild card with just 13 games to play.
Boston averted a sweep at the hands of the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday. Jon Lester posted his career-best 18th victory after combining with two other hurlers for the shutout.
The Red Sox also received homers from J.D. Drew and Victor Martinez in the contest.
That victory appears to be too little, too late.
Baltimore also averted being swept by the New York Yankees on Sunday. The Orioles scored a run on two hits off closer Mariano Rivera in the ninth and won the game, 4-3, in 11 innings.
It was Rivera's fourth blown save of the season.
New York leads Boston by seven games in the AL East standings. The Red Sox still have six games left with the division leaders, but would likely need a miracle to make things interesting again.
Boston hopes to have Adrian Beltre back in the lineup on Monday. Beltre underwent a battery of tests on Sunday on his left wrist. The results were negative and Beltre said he wanted to play.
Beltre rolled his wrist trying to field a ground ball in Saturday's game.
Brian Matusz starts for the Orioles on Monday. The rest of the Baltimore rotation for the three-game series is a question mark. Jake Arrieta was scheduled to pitch on Tuesday, however the hurler will have an operation to remove a bone spur from his right elbow and miss the rest of the season.
Baltimore expects to start Rick VandenHurk either Tuesday or Wednesday. It will be his first start as a member of the Orioles. Brad Bergesen will also pitch in the series.
Matusz has been the Orioles' hottest hurler down the stretch. He has won his last four decisions and lowered his ERA from 5.28 to 4.68 in the process.
Matusz beat Boston and Josh Beckett on Aug. 31, limiting the Red Sox to just two runs on six hits in six innings. Only once in his last seven starts has he allowed as many as five runs.
Matusz left his previous start last Monday after being struck by a line drive in the upper arm off the bat of Toronto's Yunel Escobar. He pitched just one inning in the game.
Daisuke Matsuzaka starts for the Red Sox.
Matsuzaka (9-5) recorded a 6-4 victory over Baltimore on Sept. 2. He is 4-2 lifetime against the Orioles, but has won just once in his last six starts.