Cincinnati @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( May 6, 2014 ) Cincinnati 3, Boston 4

The Boston Red Sox have lost the last eight times they have had a chance to reach the .500 mark. They will try to snap that losing streak and pull even when they host the Cincinnati Reds in the finale of a two-game interleague series on Wednesday. The Red Sox outlasted the Reds to earn a 4-3 win in 12 innings in the opener and both clubs could use some length out of their starters after nine different relievers worked on Tuesday.

Grady Sizemore drove in the game-winning run with his third hit of the night, driving a fastball from Logan Ondrusek off the base of the wall in left to score David Ortiz from second. Sizemore is 5-for-8 with three RBIs in his last two games as he pulls out of a deep slump. Cincinnati suffered its league-leading 10th one-run loss with Tuesday’s setback despite Brandon Phillips putting together his third straight multi-hit game. The perennial All-Star is 7-for-13 with three doubles, a home run and five runs scored in that span.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Cincinnati), NESN (Boston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Mike Leake (2-3, 3.53 ERA) vs. Red Sox RH Jake Peavy (1-1, 2.87)

Leake matched a season high with eight innings pitched against Milwaukee on Friday but absorbed the loss after allowing two runs on seven hits in the 2-0 final. The 26-year-old has gone at least 6 2/3 innings in each of his six starts but is not getting a ton of support lately with one run scored in his last two outings. Leake has never started against Boston but is 3-3 with a 2.78 ERA in 12 career interleague turns.

Peavy turned in another quality start last Thursday against the Tampa Bay Rays, allowing two runs and three hits in 6 1/3 innings, but issued five walks and was tagged with the loss in a 2-1 final. The Alabama native has 36 strikeouts but 21 walks in 37 2/3 total innings. Peavy has not faced Cincinnati much recently but is 6-0 against the Reds and does have a track record against Phillips, who is just 3-for-19 in his career against the veteran.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Reds have lost four straight road games.

2. Cincinnati CF Billy Hamilton (finger) did not start Tuesday’s series opener but appeared as a pinch hitter and is day-to-day.

3. Boston RHP Edward Mujica (oblique) threw before the game on Tuesday and hopes to avoid the DL.

PREDICTION: Red Sox 6, Reds 2