Boston @ Tampa Bay preview

Last Meeting ( May 1, 2014 ) Tampa Bay 6, Boston 5

The struggling Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox reside in the bottom two spots in the American League East race as they begin a pivotal three-game set Friday. The Rays look to build off their first walk-off victory of the season and send 25-year-old Chris Archer to the mound against veteran John Lackey when they host the Red Sox in the series opener. Boston has been outscored 37-16 during a seven-game slide while Tampa Bay is 2-5 in its previous seven and 2-9 in its last 11 home games.

The Rays had scored four times during a four-game losing streak before matching that in the 11th on Thursday, capped by Sean Rodriguez’s three-run blast, to beat red-hot Oakland 5-2. Tampa Bay All-Star Evan Longoria, batting only .191 since April 25, started the rally with a single. Boston slugger David Ortiz has 11 homers, but comes in 0-for-15 in his last four games with zero RBIs in seven.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), Sun Sports (Tampa Bay)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox RH John Lackey (5-3, 4.01 ERA) vs. Rays RH Chris Archer (3-2, 4.59)

Lackey gave up six runs (five earned) over 5 1/3 innings in a loss to Detroit on Saturday after winning his previous three decisions. The 35-year-old has struck out 56 and walked 13 in 58 1/3 innings while allowing two or fewer runs in six of nine starts. Matt Joyce (7-for-22) and Longoria (10-for-34) each homered twice against Lackey, who is 13-7 with a 4.27 ERA in 22 starts versus Tampa Bay.

Archer waked five, but pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings against the Los Angeles Angels last Friday to snap a four-game winless streak. The North Carolina native has only gone past six innings once in nine outings this season overall, but is 8-4 with a 3.30 ERA in his career at home. Ortiz is 3-for-7 with five RBIs against Archer, who is 1-2 in four lifetime starts versus Boston with a 6.38 ERA.

WALK-OFFS

1. Rodriquez leads the Rays in homers with five, despite only 68 at-bats in 27 games.

2. Boston is 15-1 when leading after six innings and has won only twice in 23 games when trailing going into the seventh.

3. Tampa Bay RHP Joel Peralta has made 249 career relief appearances for the team, one shy of Dan Wheeler’s franchise record.

PREDICTION: Rays 6, Red Sox 2