Colorado @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( May 24, 2016 ) Colorado 3, Boston 8

The Boston Red Sox lead the major leagues in runs scored and are at their most prolific offensively at Fenway Park. The Red Sox will try to score five or more runs for the 13th time in the last 14 home games when they host the Colorado Rockies in the second of a three-game interleague series on Wednesday.

Boston averages 6.73 runs at home and beat that number in Tuesday’s 8-3 series-opening victory as Jackie Bradley Jr., David Ortiz and Xander Bogaerts all stayed hot. Bradley Jr. ran his hitting streak to 28 games in Tuesday’s triumph while Bogaerts hit safely in his 17th straight and Ortiz went 2-for-4 with four RBIs to keep all three players in the top five of the American League in batting average. The Rockies have dropped five of their last six games to fall to 2-5 on a brutal road trip that hit St. Louis and Pittsburgh before coming to Boston. Colorado star rookie Trevor Story went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts on Tuesday while third baseman Nolan Arenado went 0-for-4 with a trio of k’s to run his slump to 0-for-12 over the last three contests.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Colorado), NESN (Boston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies RH Chad Bettis (4-2, 4.18 ERA) vs. Red Sox RH Steven Wright (3-4, 2.52)

Bettis was strong at St. Louis in his last official outing on May 17, allowing one run on five hits and two walks in 6 2/3 innings, and threw eight pitches at Pittsburgh on Sunday before the game was postponed due to rain. The Texas native has gone at least six frames in each of his last eight outings and issued a total of 12 walks in 56 innings this season. Bettis worked a scoreless inning of relief against Boston in 2013 and is 1-4 with an 8.10 ERA in nine career interleague games – five starts.

Wright pitched a complete game at Kansas City last Wednesday but absorbed the loss while allowing three runs and five hits. The knuckleball specialist has been the most reliable member of the Boston rotation this season but suffered through his lone non-quality start at home on May 13, when he couldn’t get the knuckleball to dance in the rain and ended up without a decision against Houston. Wright is making his first career start against the Rockies.

WALK-OFFS

1. Red Sox 1B Hanley Ramirez left Tuesday’s game after taking a pitch off the toe and is day-to-day.

2. Colorado optioned RHP Jordan Lyles to Triple-A Albuquerque on Monday.

3. Boston RHP Carson Smith underwent Tommy John surgery on Tuesday and will miss the remainder of the season.

PREDICTION: Red Sox 8, Rockies 4