Oakland @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( May 10, 2016 ) Oakland 5, Boston 13

The Boston Red Sox offense is having its way with the Oakland Athletics pitching staff from every spot in the batting order. The Athletics will try to hold the Red Sox to single digits in runs and avoid a sweep when they visit Fenway Park for the finale of a three-game series on Wednesday.

Boston put up a total of 27 runs in the first two games of the series and belted a total of five home runs, including a grand slam from Jackie Bradley Jr. on Monday and a mammoth 460-foot blast by Hanley Ramirez in Tuesday’s 13-5 triumph. Travis Shaw added a home run and five RBIs on Tuesday and is 6-for-9 with five runs scored and four extra-base hits in the series. Oakland’s pitching issues go back further than the trip to Boston, and the staff has allowed at least eight runs in five of the last seven games. The Athletics got only a total of 6 1/3 innings from starters Sonny Gray and Sean Manaea in the first two games of the series.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, CSN California (Oakland), NESN (Boston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics LH Eric Surkamp (0-2, 5.59 ERA) vs. Red Sox RH Rick Porcello (5-1, 2.95)

Surkamp will be recalled from Triple-A Nashville for the start and was demoted after allowing 25 hits in 19 1/3 innings over four starts in April. The 28-year-old was rocked for six runs on nine hits – two homers – and four walks in 4 2/3 innings at Toronto on April 24 before getting shipped to Nashville. Surkamp is making his first career start against Boston after a pair of scoreless relief appearances totaling 1 1/3 innings.

Porcello is coming off his first loss after allowing three runs and six hits in seven innings at the New York Yankees on Friday. The New Jersey native did not yield a run in either of his previous two outings, spanning 13 1/3 innings against the Yankees and the Atlanta Braves. Porcello is 4-5 with a 3.86 ERA in 12 career regular season games – 11 starts – against Oakland.

WALK-OFFS

1. Bradley has hit safely in a career-high 16 straight games.

2. Athletics RF Josh Reddick is 15-for-24 in the last six games.

3. Oakland INF Jed Lowrie (foot) and 3B Danny Valencia (hamstring) sat out Tuesday and are both day-to-day.

PREDICTION: Red Sox 8, Athletics 4