New York @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 23, 2014 ) NY Yankees 1, Boston 5

The mid-week series between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees has certainly featured its share of story lines. The Red Sox host the Yankees on Thursday in the finale of the three-game set, which concludes with New York's CC Sabathia facing Boston's Felix Doubront in a matchup of lefties who have not been at their best in the season's first month. Both pitchers will be looking to secure a win in the rubber game after two very different contests to begin the series.

The Yankees posted a 9-3 win in Tuesday's series opener as former Boston star Jacoby Ellsbury enjoyed a big game in his return to Fenway Park, and the Red Sox answered Wednesday with a 5-1 victory. The most notable moment of that contest came when New York starter Michael Pineda was ejected in the second inning for having a foreign substance on his face. Boston's Mike Napoli was the only player with three hits in Wednesday's game and is 5-for-8 with two doubles and a home run in the series.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, YES (New York), NESN+ (Boston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees LH CC Sabathia (2-2, 5.19 ERA) vs. Red Sox LH Felix Doubront (1-2, 5.48)

Sabathia's biggest issue this season has been the home run as he has given up six in 26 innings. The Red Sox hit two long balls against the former Cy Young Award winner on April 11 in a 4-2 Boston victory. Sabathia has a 4.74 ERA in 28 career starts against Boston and is 10-12 lifetime - one shy of his personal high for losses against any team (Tampa Bay, 13).

Doubront is 3-3 with a 4.15 ERA in 13 games (nine starts) against New York. He faced the Yankees on April 13 and allowed three runs over 6 2/3 innings during a 3-2 defeat. He allowed a season-high seven hits in that one, in addition to matching his season high with three walks and equaling a season low with two strikeouts.

WALK-OFFS

1. Boston OF Shane Victorino is a .409 career hitter against Sabathia, but most of the Red Sox have mediocre lifetime numbers against him, including DH David Ortiz (.238 in 63 at-bats) and C A.J. Pierzynski (6-for-27).

2. Future Hall of Famers SS Derek Jeter and OF Ichiro Suzuki are each 2-for-14 lifetime against Doubront.

3. New York 1B Mark Teixeira is looking to bounce back after going 0-for-4 with four strikeouts on Wednesday.

PREDICTION: Red Sox 5, Yankees 3