Boston @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 19, 2012 ) Chi. White Sox 1, Boston 3

The Boston Red Sox are on a roll. They will be looking for their sixth straight win when they visit the Chicago White Sox for the opener of a three-game series on Monday. The Red Sox have received strong starting pitching throughout the bulk of their recent surge and have Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz riding hot streaks at the plate. The White Sox have dropped back-to-back games while the starting pitching has struggled.

Hector Santiago squandered a four-run lead on Saturday and Jake Peavy lost the strike zone on Sunday as Chicago squandered all the momentum from a four-game winning streak earlier in the week. The Red Sox, who rank among the league leaders in on-base percentage, will be content to wait out White Sox starter Dylan Axelrod on Monday. Boston took 19 walks in a three-game sweep of the Minnesota Twins over the weekend. Pedroia has hit safely in 11 straight games and scored six times against the Twins while Ortiz went 8-for-13 in the series.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), Comcast SportsNet Chicago

PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox LH Jon Lester (6-0, 2.72 ERA) vs. White Sox RH Dylan Axelrod (1-3, 4.27)

Lester has pulled himself out of a rough patch with back-to-back wins, yielding a combined two runs and nine hits in 16 innings without issuing a walk. The left-hander has allowed two or fewer runs in six of his nine starts. Lester is 4-4 with a 5.20 ERA in nine career starts against Chicago and has had trouble with Paul Konerko (10-for-23, three homers).

Axelrod could be fighting for his spot in the rotation with John Danks scheduled to return soon. The 27-year-old Axelrod picked up his first win last time out, when he held the Twins to three runs and nine hits in 5 1/3 innings. The right-hander has been strong in two appearances (one start) against Boston, going 1-0 while allowing a total of two runs on 10 hits and striking out 10 in nine innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Red Sox SS Stephen Drew (back) has missed the last two games and is day-to-day. Pedro Ciriaco is 0-for-9 with an error in Drew’s place.

2. Chicago 2B Gordon Beckham (fractured hamate bone) has five hits in his last two rehab games for Triple-A Charlotte.

3. Boston RHP Andrew Bailey (strained right biceps) is expected to be activated off the 15-day DL on Monday.

PREDICTION: Red Sox 5, White Sox 4